The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability and a left lower extremity venous disability, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions did not worsen during service and there was no evidence of an in-service event or indication that the disabilities were related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran's pes planus and hammer toes/plantar fasciitis pre-existed service and were not aggravated by service, thus rebutting the presumption of soundness. There was also no evidence of an in-service event or indication that the venous stasis disability was related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral foot disability, left lower extremity venous disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2021
- Citation
- 21015229
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 21015229.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot disability is related to his active military service and grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a new examination to address the Veteran's lay statements regarding her symptoms during service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability and back disability have been granted due to the submission of new evidence. The AOJ is required to readjudicate these claims.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew her appeals for the service connection of multiple conditions, including low back disability, bilateral foot disability, cervical spine disability, migraines, right hand and shoulder disabilities, right wrist disability, asthma (claimed as Gulf War Syndrome), chronic fatigue syndrome, dysmenorrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and sleep disability. As a result, these claims are dismissed.
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