The Veteran's initial disability ratings for left and right foot hammertoes have been denied. The Board has found that the preponderance of evidence is against his claims for higher initial ratings, as he is already in receipt of the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5282.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disability ratings are at their highest possible level based on the severity of his hammertoes and there is no additional evidence to support a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Left foot hammertoes, Right foot hammertoes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19150562
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,240 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19150562.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for left ankle strain and earlier effective dates of August 24, 1998 for service connection of hammertoes in the feet. Other claims were denied.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's GERD is granted a 30 percent evaluation, but no higher. The other issues are remanded for further development.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent evaluation for the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and remanded claims for service connection of back condition, as secondary to orthopedic conditions, and compensable evaluation for right foot hammertoes.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, ankle instability, bilateral pes planus/flat feet, left foot hammertoes, right foot hammertoes, left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, right hip pain, and left hip pain as there was no evidence that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active-duty service.
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