The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 5, 2017, for the grant of service connection for bilateral feet disability.
The deciding factor: There were no pending claims or unadjudicated requests for benefits related to the bilateral foot disability prior to December 5, 2017, which is the earliest date an effective date can be assigned under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, left ankle achilles tendinitis, bone spur of the second toe of the right foot and calcaneal spur of the right heel
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2024
- Citation
- A24064238
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disabilities, bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, digestive disabilities including irritable bowel syndrome with abdominal pain and nausea, pelvic organ disabilities, iron deficiency anemia, and genital herpes. Service connection was denied for acne, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, painful joints, left shin splints, right shin splints, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, respiratory infection, GERD, PTSD, anxiety condition, manic-depressive reaction, and psychiatric disorder other than unspecified depressive disorder with symptoms of suicidal ideation. An initial 50% rating was granted for the service-connected unspecified depressive disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of December 21, 2022, for the assignment of a 50 percent disability rating for service-connected bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, tension headaches, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 26, 2021, for the award of service connection for bilateral shin splints but denied earlier effective dates for the other conditions.
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.