BVA decisions by condition
Hallux valgus (bunion) acquired: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a hallux valgus (bunion) acquired issue in 2,876 decisions. It granted the hallux valgus (bunion) acquired issue in 17.8% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 32.2%, and remanded it in 48.3%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 35.6% were granted.
Decisions
2,876
2017–2026
Granted
17.8%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
35.6%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
48.3%
Denied: 32.2%
Hallux valgus (bunion) acquired outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 229 | 15.7% | 26.6% | 54.1% | 3.5% |
| 2018 | 405 | 11.4% | 32.8% | 50.1% | 5.7% |
| 2019 | 409 | 11.5% | 34.5% | 51.8% | 2.2% |
| 2020 | 465 | 17.8% | 34.0% | 45.8% | 2.4% |
| 2021 | 424 | 15.1% | 33.5% | 49.1% | 2.4% |
| 2022 | 382 | 15.2% | 28.5% | 53.9% | 2.4% |
| 2023 | 439 | 18.7% | 21.9% | 55.1% | 4.3% |
| 2024 | 490 | 21.4% | 35.3% | 40.0% | 3.3% |
| 2025 | 439 | 21.2% | 34.9% | 40.8% | 3.2% |
| 2026 | 167 | 26.3% | 38.9% | 32.9% | 1.8% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 hallux valgus (bunion) acquired decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the hallux valgus (bunion) 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 | 421 | 66.9% | 27.4% | +39.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 359 | 59.9% | 30.0% | +29.9 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 133 | 61.9% | 33.9% | +28.0 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 357 | 59.4% | 32.7% | +26.6 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 754 | 42.3% | 32.6% | +9.7 pts |
| Combat service | 119 | 43.5% | 35.2% | +8.3 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,305 | 35.7% | 34.6% | +1.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 66.1% of the decisions that granted hallux valgus (bunion) acquired.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 43.4% of grants and 13.4% 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 hallux valgus (bunion) 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 | 1,444 | 34.8% | 36.5% | −1.8 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 2,077 | 34.4% | 40.5% | −6.1 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied hallux valgus (bunion) acquired
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established61
- Caused by the service-connected disability20
- Service connection established15
- Criteria for service connection met12
- Continuity of symptomatology since service11
- Already at the maximum schedular rating11
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met10
- Evidence evenly balanced4
Most common reasons in denials
- Already at the maximum schedular rating127
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis77
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim72
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service61
- Service records negative or silent41
- No current diagnosis39
- Current diagnosis established36
- Criteria for compensable rating not met19
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 hallux valgus (bunion) acquired decisions
Granted
Current disability diagnosed as hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis; In-service injury indicated by December 1985 report and Veteran's statements; Benefit of the doubt applied due to approximate balance of evidence
Favorable June 2021 VA opinion found secondary relationship; Veteran's gait adaptations due to hip pain; Supported by treatment records and Veteran's testimony
Current diagnoses of left great toe matrixectomy and left medial foot scar confirmed by VA exam.; In-service event related to toenail removal exacerbated by service conditions.; Nexus supported by credible lay testimony and STRs.
Denied
No foot complaints or treatment in service records.; Examinations reported normal feet; veteran denied foot issues.; Veteran's lay testimony found not credible due to inconsistency.
No competent evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation.; Veteran's testimony regarding onset since service found not credible.; April 2013 medical examination found no foot abnormalities.
Veteran has not had surgery for hallux valgus; Symptoms do not meet criteria for severe hallux valgus equivalent to amputation; Foot pain compensated under DC 5284, preventing pyramiding
Rules that apply to hallux valgus (bunion) 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 hallux valgus (bunion) acquired case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a hallux valgus (bunion) 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.