The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, bilateral shin splints, and bilateral lower extremity varicose veins were denied. The Veteran was granted an increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD but the effective date prior to March 31, 2017 for PTSD service connection was denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for secondary service connection as there was no current varicose vein disability and no service-connected foot or shin condition. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms were found to be more approximate a higher 70 percent rating due to suicidal ideations, panic attacks, depression, anger outbursts, difficulty maintaining conversations, chronic sleep problems, lack of friends, and strained relationship with children.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral foot disability, Bilateral shin splints, Bilateral lower extremity varicose veins
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- August 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19165521
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 19165521.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include alcohol use disorder, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, and PTSD was granted. Other claims for various conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a lung disability and a bilateral foot disability based on new evidence, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and colon cancer.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral shin splints. The claims for a cervical spine disability and lumbar spine disability were remanded.
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