The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes cavus, finding that there was no evidence to support a higher rating based on the current symptoms and diagnoses.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not find any evidence of unilateral or bilateral acquired claw foot with all toes tending to dorsiflexion, limitation of dorsiflexion at the ankle to a right angle, shortened plantar fascia, or marked tenderness under the metatarsal heads. The Veteran's symptoms were described as definite tenderness under the metatarsal heads without other significant findings.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes cavus, hammer toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- February 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26009108
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 A26009108.
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 has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires additional development, including an addendum VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral foot disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the preexistence and aggravation of foot disabilities during service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) and bilateral pes cavus, finding that the Veteran's conditions first manifested during active duty service and were not aggravated by such service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in not obtaining an addendum or supplemental medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral foot disability, specifically his pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and hammer toes.
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