The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating, finding that his service-connected right foot disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s educational background and past work experience as a security specialist, rubber worker, and truck driver suggest he could still engage in substantial gainful employment despite his service-connected right foot disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Right foot hammertoes, Post-operative residuals of proximal phalanx, right fourth and fifth toes with loss of voluntary flexion and extension associated with right foot hammertoes and residuals of right foot metatarsalgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20055877
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20055877.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for left ankle strain and earlier effective dates of August 24, 1998 for service connection of hammertoes in the feet. Other claims were denied.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent evaluation for the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and remanded claims for service connection of back condition, as secondary to orthopedic conditions, and compensable evaluation for right foot hammertoes.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, ankle instability, bilateral pes planus/flat feet, left foot hammertoes, right foot hammertoes, left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, right hip pain, and left hip pain as there was no evidence that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active-duty service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for right and left foot hammertoes, flat feet, and low back disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
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