The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU was dismissed due to withdrawal. The earlier effective date claim for the increased rating of left foot arthritis was denied as there was no evidence of an increase in disability within one year prior to the November 2018 claim. The Veteran's request for a higher rating for his left foot condition, which is currently rated at 10%, was also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not provide evidence that his left foot disability had increased in severity within one year of his November 2018 claim, and the Board found no persuasive evidence to support an earlier effective date for the increased rating. The Veteran's current 10% rating is based on moderate symptoms with pain during movement, weight-bearing, and interference with standing.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot arthritis, foreign body in the left foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26023195
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 A26023195.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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 obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed all other appeals related to various joint conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for lumbosacral strain, left shoulder tendonitis, and left foot arthritis due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral foot, hand, and hip conditions are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ is instructed to obtain new medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are aggravated by the Veteran's inability to take NSAIDs due to his service-connected kidney removal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left foot arthritis has been dismissed because the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.
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