The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for hammer toe, finding that there is no evidence linking the condition to his active duty service or any other etiological relationship.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no direct link between the Veteran's current hammer toes and his active-duty service, including as secondary to a service-connected disability (pes planus).
- Claimed conditions
- hammer toe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 8, 2023
- Citation
- 23044032
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 23044032.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for several conditions, including OSA, cervical spine condition, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, and others, but dismissed appeals for obesity, TMJ, insomnia, left elbow, and right elbow. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for a 70% rating for acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new oneVA foot conditions examination is needed to determine the severity of the Veteran's service-connected right foot monoarticular inflammation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability, including pes planus, hammer toe, and arthritis, finding that the Veteran's condition did not have an onset in service or manifest within one year of discharge. The Board also determined that the current bilateral foot disability was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, including hammer toe, painful scars, plantar fasciitis, and foot cramping, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by her military service.
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