The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection has been denied. The Veteran is not entitled to an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for status post excision left great toenail with residual deformed nail bed, or a compensable initial evaluation for scar of the left great toe.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left foot hammer toes and right foot hammer toes have been denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of these conditions and insufficient evidence to establish their relationship to service.,Regarding bilateral pes planus (flatfeet) and right great toenail removal, the appeal is remanded as additional medical guidance is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnoses of left foot hammer toes and right foot hammer toes were not established by the evidence provided. The Board found no current diagnosis of these conditions, and insufficient evidence to establish their relationship to service.,For bilateral pes planus (flatfeet) and right great toenail removal, additional medical guidance is needed as the VA examiner did not adequately address whether these conditions are related to service or service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Status post excision left great toenail with residual deformed nail bed, Scar of the left great toe, Left foot hammer toes, Right foot hammer toes, Bilateral pes planus (flatfeet), Right great toenail removal (right toe disability)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2024
- Citation
- 24007296
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 24007296.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right foot hammer toe as secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected post-operative bunionectomy/osteotomy of the right great toe with internal fixation. The claim for a compensable rating for left foot hammer toes was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU, as the evidence did not support a higher schedular rating or entitlement to a TDIU.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 10 percent disability rating for left and right foot hammer toes, denied a higher rating for PTSD, and denied a compensable rating for the left foot scar. The penile condition was remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right foot hammer toes and left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that a compensable rating was not warranted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.