The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates because he did not file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) with the December 2022 rating decision that granted service connection and assigned effective dates.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not appeal the effective dates assigned in the December 2022 rating decision, which is required for downstream issues like earlier effective dates.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot Morton's neuroma, left foot plano valgus deformity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2023
- Citation
- 23023670
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 23023670.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal, which was dismissed due to the appellant's request for withdrawal.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of a separate 10 percent rating for left foot Morton's neuroma, associated with the Veteran's service-connected hallux valgus and hammer toes of the left foot.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left foot disability, which is related to service. The Veteran reported experiencing left foot pain in service and underwent surgery for neuroma removal.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for his bilateral foot condition, including heel spur, plantar fasciitis, and left foot Morton's neuroma. The decision finds that these conditions are related to his military service.
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