Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2000

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for fallen arches (flat feet or pes planus) as his claim was not well grounded due to lack of competent evidence linking the condition to service.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for left hand and bilateral foot disabilities has been dismissed due to the absence of a timely substantive appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for a right heel spur, but denied the claims of left heel spurs, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and a right hip disability. The right heel spur was incurred during active duty for training (ACDUTRA).

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a separate rating for the scar of the right foot were granted. The initial rating for intractable plantar keratosis, right foot was increased to 10 percent effective January 1, 1993.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his skin condition and bilateral pes planus, finding insufficient evidence to support a compensable evaluation for tinea versicolor (previously classified as vitiligo) or service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, to include arthritis, and bilateral pes planus are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of a nexus between any current right knee disorders or bilateral pes planus and military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a left foot disability secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability is denied. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a left ankle fracture is granted with a 30 percent evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is not sufficient to reflect his disability level.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral pes planus, finding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral pes planus condition worsened during his active military service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the reopening of the claims for service connection for a stomach disorder and pes planus.

The Board is considering whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for pes planus, which was previously denied in November 1952. The ROIC determined that no new and material evidence had been submitted in August 1998.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated based on their current functional impairment. The highest possible rating for each condition has been granted.

The veteran's tinnitus is found to be due to disease or injury incurred in service, and thus granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pre-existing bilateral foot disability increased in severity during service and was aggravated by the rigors of basic training. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, right and left knee disabilities, and left and right ankle disabilities are rated as 10 percent disabling. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for a right foot disability and low back disability are not well-grounded. The evidence does not establish current diagnoses or show a nexus between any diagnosed conditions and service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral heel tendonitis with spurs and assigned a 10 percent rating effective to the date of claim.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals to restore service connection for bilateral pes planus and a neuropsychiatric disorder, finding that the original decisions were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The veteran's service-connected foot disability is manifested by subjective complaints of pain, severe degenerative mid-foot arthritis, plantar callosities, and normal ankle motion on each side. The Board finds that the veteran's left or right foot impairment does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5284.