The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral hallux valgus, finding that the evidence did not clearly and unmistakably show that the conditions were aggravated by service or incurred during active duty. The Veteran's statements regarding his in-service injuries were deemed unreliable.
The deciding factor: The STRs do not provide clear and unmistakable evidence of a pre-existing condition or its aggravation during service, and post-service medical records are insufficient to establish a direct link between the conditions and service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Pes Planus (Flatfoot), Bilateral Hallux Valgus (Bunion)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2022
- Citation
- 22012754
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 22012754.
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 granted a 30 percent evaluation for the Veteran's bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and metatarsalgia as of October 7, 2013. The decision also addressed right foot hammertoes and left foot hammertoes, granting noncompensable evaluations effective September 9, 2009.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus, effective from the date of the decision. The Veteran's left and right ankle disabilities are not rated higher than 20 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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