The Veteran's preexisting pes planus disability was aggravated by service, and the Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, to include plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, and degenerative arthritis of the feet.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's pes planus increased in severity during service due to STRs showing significant increase in symptoms and a physician suspecting it was causing knee problems. The Veteran's current pes planus symptoms were attributed to his becoming overweight after service, but this did not negate the aggravation finding.
- Claimed conditions
- pes planus, plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2023
- Citation
- 23063312
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 23063312.
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.
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The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
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The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus condition was aggravated by service. The effective date is August 15, 2025.
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