The Veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral foot disability, as well as her increased rating claims for right and left knee degenerative joint disease, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of a bilateral foot disability related to service or a service-connected condition. For the knees, the Board noted no evidence of aggravation beyond its natural progression.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records (STRs) do not show any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses related to her feet or knees during service. The STRs were normal at separation. She was diagnosed with bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis after service, but there is no evidence of a foot condition having its onset during service or shortly after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Foot Disability, Left Knee Degenerative Joint Disease, Right Knee Degenerative Joint Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19136359
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19136359.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 40 percent for limitation of extension, effective December 18, 2025. The Veteran also received separate ratings for instability and dislocation of semilunar cartilage.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a bilateral foot disability and migraine disability, both secondary to existing service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected psychiatric disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, right and left knee disability, bilateral foot disability, and TDIU due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
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