The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot arthritis, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service. The Veteran was not diagnosed with this condition until years after separation from service.
The deciding factor: There is no objective medical evidence showing bilateral foot arthritis in service or within one year of separation, and the Veteran's lay assertions regarding causation are outweighed by the VA examiner's opinion based on a review of his medical history.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral foot arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19179583
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 an adequate VA etiology opinion due to a lack of clear conclusions and supporting data in the previous examination.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral hand arthritis and bilateral foot arthritis, and they have been dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various foot conditions due to a need for additional medical opinions.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral foot metatarsalgia, bilateral hammertoes, and bilateral foot arthritis was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.