The Veteran's claims for service connection for depression and a higher rating for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for depression, and the current rating for bilateral pes planus is already at its maximum allowable under applicable criteria.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was provided following review of the record and included adequate rationales for the conclusions reached, assigning more probative weight to the March 2016 psychologist’s opinion than the lay statements of record regarding the etiology of the Veteran's depression. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- August 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19166772
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 19166772.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back pain, knee and wrist joint pains, neck pain, anxiety, depression, as further development is needed to properly adjudicate these claims.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and denied service connection for a lower back disorder. The claims for depression, substance abuse disorder, and a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss were dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for depression, PTSD, and an anxiety disorder due to the lack of a current diagnosis.
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