The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for post-surgical right foot hallux valgus status post (S/P) right bunionectomy and remanded the claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) status post (S/P) Nissen Fundoplication.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disability more closely approximates the criteria for the highest schedular rating available under DC 5280, and there is no evidence of related components that would warrant a higher or separate evaluation. For GERD, the VA examiner failed to consider the symptoms and effects of GERD on the Veteran's daily life without the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Claimed conditions
- hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) status post (S/P) Nissen Fundoplication, post-surgical right foot hallux valgus status post (S/P) right bunionectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 29, 2025
- Citation
- A25047834
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,185 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25047834.
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