The Veteran's claim for a reduction in the rating of foot eczema from 60% to 10% was found to be procedurally improper, and the original 60% rating is restored. Service connection has been granted for tinnitus but denied for low back disorder, bilateral foot numbness and tingling, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.
The deciding factor: The reduction in rating was not properly followed by VA procedures, leading to a void ab initio decision. For the service connection claims, the evidence did not meet the criteria for direct service connection due to lack of documented onset or continuity of symptoms related to active service.
- Claimed conditions
- foot eczema, tinnitus, low back disorder (lumbosacral strain), bilateral foot numbness and tingling, bilateral plantar fasciitis, to include synovitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 6, 2023
- Citation
- 23000857
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 793 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 23000857.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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