The Board denied the claims for service connection for a left foot great toe disability, hepatitis C, and pseudofolliculitis barbae, as well as initial compensable ratings for hammer toes of both feet and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support the presence of current disabilities related to the claimed conditions during or proximate to the pendency of the claims, and there was no clear and unmistakable evidence that any preexisting conditions were aggravated by military service.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot great toe disability, hepatitis C or its residuals, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), hammer toes of the second, third, fourth, and fifth toes of the left foot, hammer toes of the second, third, fourth, and fifth toes of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 11, 2025
- Citation
- 25007801
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and a rating in excess of 10 percent for a left ankle disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right eye dry eyes, cataracts of the left and right eyes, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, left renal arteriovenous malformation, aneurysm, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, recurrent subluxation of the left knee prior to May 13, 2020, left total knee replacement, disability rating in excess of 60 percent from September 1, 2021, forward for left total knee replacement, DJD of the right knee, right knee instability, burns of the bilateral ankles, linear scar of the left knee, post-surgical tender scars of the left knee, and a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) based upon service-connected disabilities prior to June 14, 2019.
- Dismissed
The appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for pseudofolliculitis barbae was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election of review options.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinea versicolor and remanded the claims for service connection, pseudofolliculitis barbae, left hip strain with osteoarthritis, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, left knee strain with knee joint osteoarthritis, and right knee strain with knee joint osteoarthritis.
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