BVA decisions by condition
Pes planus: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a pes planus issue in 948 decisions. It granted the pes planus issue in 22.5% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 36.6%, and remanded it in 42.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 38.0% were granted.
Decisions
948
2017–2026
Granted
22.5%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
38.0%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
42.0%
Denied: 36.6%
Pes planus outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 64 | 26.6% | 42.2% | 20.3% | 10.9% |
| 2018 | 76 | 17.1% | 38.2% | 40.8% | 3.9% |
| 2019 | 92 | 21.7% | 40.2% | 35.9% | 2.2% |
| 2020 | 145 | 18.6% | 42.1% | 38.6% | 0.7% |
| 2021 | 128 | 23.4% | 43.0% | 32.0% | 1.6% |
| 2022 | 135 | 16.3% | 36.3% | 47.4% | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 138 | 22.5% | 33.3% | 42.0% | 2.2% |
| 2024 | 169 | 16.6% | 30.8% | 50.9% | 1.8% |
| 2025 | 113 | 25.7% | 35.4% | 37.2% | 1.8% |
| 2026 | 55 | 25.5% | 21.8% | 52.7% | 0.0% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 pes planus decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the pes planus 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 | 155 | 68.8% | 30.6% | +38.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 176 | 58.5% | 31.1% | +27.4 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 95 | 60.0% | 36.6% | +23.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 54 | 50.0% | 37.0% | +13.0 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 274 | 46.3% | 34.7% | +11.6 pts |
| Lay statement | 842 | 37.6% | 42.3% | −4.7 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 70.0% of the decisions that granted pes planus.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 31.9% of grants and 14.1% 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 pes planus 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 | 500 | 33.1% | 42.3% | −9.3 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 808 | 35.5% | 57.8% | −22.3 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied pes planus
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established6
- Already at the maximum schedular rating5
- Extreme tenderness of plantar surfaces5
- Symptoms not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances4
- Caused by the service-connected disability4
- Pain on manipulation and use accentuated3
- Pain on manipulation and use3
- Pes planus rated under DC 52763
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim28
- Already at the maximum schedular rating25
- Service records negative or silent13
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service13
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis12
- Evidence did not meet criteria for 50% rating4
- Criteria for higher rating not met4
- No evidence of aggravation beyond natural progression during service4
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 pes planus decisions
Granted
Left foot pes planus rated 30 percent; Extreme tenderness on plantar surface; Pain on use, not improved by orthopedic shoes
Pre-service mild pes planus noted on enlistment.; Aggravated beyond natural progression by in-service duties.; Increase in severity during service and post-service.; No clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut aggravation presumption.
Veteran competent and credible reporter of symptoms; Severe pain and pronation noted; No relief from orthopedic inserts
Denied
Resolving reasonable doubt in veteran's favor.; Testimony at Board hearing regarding worsening symptoms.; Objective evidence of marked pronation, tenderness, and spasm.
Evidence does not support rating higher than 30 percent; Symptoms do not approximate pronounced bilateral flatfoot; Other diagnostic codes not applicable due to lack of distinct manifestations
Veteran already rated at maximum 50% for pes planus under DC 5276.; Evidence did not show symptoms warranting a higher rating.; No new and material evidence or substantive appeal for earlier effective date.
Rules that apply to pes planus 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 pes planus 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 pes planus 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.