The Veteran's claim for back strain was reopened and granted. Bilateral pes planus was found to have been aggravated by service, leading to a grant of service connection. The Veteran's left ankle os calcis with deformity is now rated at 20 percent from October 10, 2013.,The Veteran's back strain claim was reopened and granted due to new evidence showing current degenerative lumbar spondylosis. Bilateral pes planus was found to have been aggravated by service during parachute jumping. The left ankle os calcis with deformity is now rated at 20 percent from October 10, 2013.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's back strain claim was reopened because new evidence showed a current diagnosis of degenerative lumbar spondylosis. The left ankle os calcis with deformity is now rated at 20 percent from October 10, 2013 due to marked deformity and pain on weight-bearing.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was found to have been aggravated by service during parachute jumping. The left ankle os calcis with deformity is now rated at 20 percent from October 10, 2013 due to marked deformity and pain on weight-bearing.
- Claimed conditions
- Back strain, Bilateral pes planus, Left ankle os calcis with deformity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19197088
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 19197088.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board granted earlier effective dates of November 5, 2021, for the grants of service connection and eligibility for DEA benefits.
- Partly granted
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an adequate VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any right foot disability, including consideration of bilateral pes planus.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) as it was not factually ascertainable that he was unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to April 28, 2016.
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