The Veteran's right foot arthritis is granted service connection, and his undiagnosed illness manifested by shortness of breath is also granted. The rating for the right foot arthritis is set at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established based on objective indications of a chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness or combination of illnesses manifested by one or more signs or symptoms, including joint pain and respiratory issues, during active service in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations (SWA) during the Persian Gulf War.
- Claimed conditions
- undiagnosed illness manifested by shortness of breath, right foot arthritis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- September 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20063649
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 20063649.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed all other appeals related to various joint conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's right foot disability, including arthritis, osteoporosis, foot drop, neuropathy, difficult gait, and tinea pedis, was incurred during service and continues to this day.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral foot, hand, and hip conditions are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ is instructed to obtain new medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are aggravated by the Veteran's inability to take NSAIDs due to his service-connected kidney removal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability is remanded due to the need for an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between his current conditions and service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.