The Veteran's service connection for periodontal disease, tinea pedis (bilateral feet), hammer toes/hallux valgus, left foot, and hammer toes/hallux valgus, right foot was denied. The effective dates for these conditions were set at January 1, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's periodontal disease is not a compensable disability under VA regulations, and the other conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on their severity or treatment needs.
- Claimed conditions
- periodontal disease, tinea pedis (bilateral feet), hammer toes/hallux valgus, left foot, hammer toes/hallux valgus, right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20003173
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.
- Dismissed
The Board denied the veteran's appeals for service connection due to untimely filings.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left hip osteoarthritis and right hip osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's now service-connected knee disabilities, but denied service connection for a variety of other conditions including bilateral ankle, shoulder, foot, mood disorder, tinnitus, hyperlipidemia, and knees.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral foot and ankle conditions to correct a duty to assist error, requiring medical opinions on their relationship to the Veteran's service.
- Partly granted
The claim for service connection for a dental condition, to include periodontal disease, was reopened based on new and material evidence but not fully granted.
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