The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for foot conditions (hammer toes, hallux valgus, and loss of longitudinal arch) as well as her claim for a disability rating for bilateral foot calluses. The Board found that there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs did not show any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses related to hammer toes, hallux valgus, loss of longitudinal arch, or other bilateral foot conditions during her military service. The Board concluded that the current foot conditions are less likely caused by or aggravated by her service-connected calluses.
- Claimed conditions
- hammer toes, hallux valgus, loss of longitudinal arch
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20064507
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,030 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20064507.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hallux valgus, finding no competent and credible evidence linking her current condition to active service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's left foot metatarsalgia is granted as secondary to his service-connected left foot Lisfranc fracture and other disabilities. The Veteran's TDIU benefits from December 1, 2023 are denied due to his employment as a government tax collector.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, requiring a new one with a proper evaluation of the Veteran's foot disabilities.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires additional development, including an addendum VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral foot disability.
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