The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease and arthritis are related to his active duty service.,Service connection was also granted for right foot pain, left foot hammer toes, and right foot hammer toes. The Board found these conditions were related to service.
The deciding factor: The private examiner provided a positive nexus opinion based on the Veteran's medical treatment records, his reports of continued back pain aggravated by physical activity prior to his diagnosis of degenerative arthritis, and relevant medical literature.,For the right foot issues, the Board found that the in-service increase or worsening represents an aggravation of pre-existing conditions due to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Back disability (degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis), Right foot pain, Left foot hammer toes, Right foot hammer toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26003079
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 A26003079.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to a duty-to-assist error.,Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left foot pain, and right foot pain as there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's honorable period of service.
- 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.
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.