BVA decisions by condition
Flatfoot bilateral acquired: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a flatfoot bilateral acquired issue in 13,017 decisions. It granted the flatfoot bilateral acquired issue in 20.5% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 31.0%, and remanded it in 46.9%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 39.7% were granted.
Decisions
13,017
2017–2026
Granted
20.5%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
39.7%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
46.9%
Denied: 31.0%
Flatfoot bilateral acquired outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 919 | 13.5% | 35.3% | 43.5% | 7.7% |
| 2018 | 1,477 | 16.0% | 33.9% | 45.2% | 4.9% |
| 2019 | 1,569 | 16.9% | 31.0% | 50.0% | 2.1% |
| 2020 | 1,530 | 17.4% | 35.2% | 45.5% | 2.0% |
| 2021 | 1,432 | 19.4% | 32.8% | 46.2% | 1.7% |
| 2022 | 1,389 | 20.4% | 26.3% | 51.0% | 2.3% |
| 2023 | 1,592 | 21.4% | 24.9% | 51.0% | 2.7% |
| 2024 | 1,749 | 25.2% | 26.5% | 46.2% | 2.2% |
| 2025 | 1,600 | 23.3% | 31.3% | 43.6% | 1.9% |
| 2026 | 650 | 30.2% | 36.0% | 32.2% | 1.7% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied flatfoot bilateral acquired decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the flatfoot bilateral acquired issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 2,020 | 68.7% | 32.0% | +36.6 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 1,605 | 63.1% | 34.6% | +28.6 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 500 | 62.2% | 38.6% | +23.6 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 1,104 | 58.7% | 38.5% | +20.1 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 3,565 | 51.4% | 34.2% | +17.2 pts |
| Combat service | 504 | 53.3% | 39.1% | +14.2 pts |
| Buddy statement | 429 | 50.0% | 39.3% | +10.7 pts |
| Lay statement | 10,996 | 39.8% | 39.1% | +0.7 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 71.5% of the decisions that granted flatfoot bilateral acquired.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 43.5% of grants and 12.4% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often flatfoot bilateral acquired was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 6,948 | 38.9% | 40.8% | −2.0 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 9,613 | 38.5% | 45.4% | −6.9 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied flatfoot bilateral acquired
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established216
- Presumption of aggravation applies49
- Presumption of aggravation not rebutted by clear and unmistakable evidence35
- Already at the maximum schedular rating34
- Criteria for service connection met27
- Presumption of aggravation not rebutted25
- Caused by the service-connected disability24
- Presumption of soundness not rebutted21
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim349
- Service records negative or silent338
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis304
- No current diagnosis246
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service241
- Already at the maximum schedular rating167
- Current diagnosis established147
- No evidence of aggravation during service100
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent flatfoot bilateral acquired decisions
Granted
At least as likely as not related to service; Flat feet (pes planus) is a recognized medical condition
Resolving doubt in veteran's favor; Lay statements consistent with service complaints; Addendum VA opinion confirmed in-service onset
Benefit of doubt resolved in favor; Met criteria for 50% rating effective Oct 17, 2019; Prior to Oct 17, 2019, did not meet criteria for >30% rating
Denied
Pre-existing pes planus noted at entrance examination.; Veteran contends pes planus aggravated by daily running and marching.; VA medical opinions found negative nexus due to lack of in-service complaints/treatment and progression of pes planus.; Board found private opinions inadequate for failing to explain etiology or nexus.
Original decision granted service connection and 10% rating for bilateral pes planus.; Arguments for CUE based on MEB report and higher rating criteria (30% or 50%) were found to be disagreements with evidence weighing, not CUE.; MEB report did not show severe/pronounced deformity required for higher ratings under DC 5276.
No in-service complaints or treatment for bilateral foot disability.; Current diagnosis of pes planus not linked to service.; VA examiner opined less likely than not related to service.
Rules that apply to flatfoot bilateral acquired claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your flatfoot bilateral acquired case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a flatfoot bilateral acquired issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.