The Board has granted reopening of service connection for right foot pes planus and left foot pes planus, finding that the pre-existing conditions increased in severity during service. Service connection is also granted for back disability (arthritis), right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, right ankle arthritis, left ankle arthritis, tinnitus, and bilateral ear hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The Board found new evidence showing that the Veteran's preexisting foot and joint conditions increased in severity during service, meeting the criteria for aggravation of a pre-existing condition.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, right foot pes planus, left foot pes planus, back disability (arthritis), right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, right ankle arthritis, left ankle arthritis, tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 15, 2023
- Citation
- 23045257
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 23045257.
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 hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
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