The Board has determined that the Veteran's right lower calf knot is not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a pre-service or in-service occurrence and it is not otherwise related to his active duty.,Initial compensable ratings are granted for hammertoes of both feet. The Veteran currently has hammer toe deformities of multiple toes without claw foot on each side.,The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability and sleep disorder, including insomnia and sleep apnea, are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct or secondary relationship to his active duty.
The deciding factor: There is no credible evidence of a right lower calf knot during service. The most probative evidence indicates that the current condition began post-service.,The Veteran's hammer toe disabilities are rated under Diagnostic Code 5282, which allows for initial ratings up to 10 percent based on the number and severity of affected toes.,There is no direct or secondary evidence linking the low back disability and sleep disorder to service. The Board found that the Veteran did not experience continuous symptoms since service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right lower calf knot (sebaceous cyst), Low back disability, Sleep disorder, to include insomnia and sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20023400
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 20023400.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to address the severity of his low back disability, including whether he has experienced incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
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