The Board denied service connection for a right foot disability (other than pes planus), finding no evidence of chronic disease in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and concluding that there was insufficient medical nexus to establish a relationship between current disabilities and active service.
The deciding factor: Service records did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to the Veteran's right foot disability. The VA examiner opined that it is less likely than not that the Veteran’s hallux valgus deformity of the right great toe was related to military service, as there were no documented injuries in service and the condition was diagnosed years after separation.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Right Foot Disability (Other Than Pes Planus)"}, {"condition_name":"Hallux Valgus of the Right Great Toe"}, {"condition_name":"Degenerative Arthritis of the Right Ankle"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20081514
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
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