The Veteran's bilateral hammer toes have not been shown to warrant a higher rating, including on an extraschedular basis. The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU based on the severity of his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's bilateral hammer toes meet or approximate the criteria for a higher schedular rating under Diagnostic Codes 5278 and 5282. The symptoms are considered in the current 30 percent rating, which already accounts for functional loss due to pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hammer Toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 1, 2021
- Citation
- 21071693
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 21071693.
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: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hammer toes, finding that the Veteran's conditions had onset in service or are related to his service-connected condition (bilateral pes planus).
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disability, neck condition, bilateral feet bunions, malformed toes, and gastrointestinal disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability and granted service connection for a urinary system disability. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for traumatic injury to the left leg and knee, and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee are remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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