The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hallux valgus and bunions, as well as osteoarthritis of the first metatarsal phalangeal joints (MTPJs) in both feet. The Veteran's bilateral foot conditions are now considered service-connected.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran had pre-existing bilateral hallux valgus and bunions prior to service, but these conditions were aggravated during service. Her osteoarthritis of the first MTPJs is also found to be secondary to her service-connected hallux valgus and bunions.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, bunion status post (s/p) osteotomy of the metatarsal head and bunionectomy, osteoarthritis of the left 1st metatarsal phalangeal joint (MTPJ), osteoarthritis of the right 1st MTPJ
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194552
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19194552.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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- Dismissed
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- Remanded (sent back)
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- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all appeals for service connection and increased rating claims due to untimely Notice of Disagreement submissions.
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