The Board has granted higher ratings for hammer toes of the right foot and left foot, but has remanded the issue of a higher rating for right knee degenerative changes status post reconstruction.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right knee condition requires additional development to assess functional loss during flare-ups and with repeated use over time.
- Claimed conditions
- Hammer Toes, Right Knee Degenerative Changes Status Post Reconstruction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19163950
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,287 · Granted: 23% (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 19163950.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a remand is needed to obtain an adequate VA medical opinion regarding the nature and likely cause of any right foot disability, including hallux valgus (bunions), hammer toes, heel spur, and reported history of right foot injury. The issue remains denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's right foot degenerative arthritis with pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and hammer toes is rated at 30 percent from November 14, 2022 through March 22, 2023. The separate rating for peripheral neuropathy of the right foot remains at 40 percent.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including toenail disorder, toe disorder, headaches, gastrointestinal disorder, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension, were denied as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or a link to service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection for his right knee, bilateral hearing loss, deviated septum, pes planus, or hammer toes.
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