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

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a well-grounded claim for service connection for right and left knee disorders or bilateral plantar fasciitis, as there is no medical evidence showing current disabilities related to service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disorder including pes planus, finding that there is no medical evidence linking any current foot disability to his period of active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, left side injury, vision problems, throat problem, low back disorder, and flat feet. The evidence submitted did not meet the criteria to reopen these claims.

The Board found that the appellant currently has no disability of the left or right foot and denied both claims for service connection.

The Board denied an increased rating for the appellant's bilateral foot disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than the current 30 percent assigned.

The Board has granted a 10% disability rating for pes planus effective December 13, 1991.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus due to new evidence submitted, but denied the claim on the merits.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for the veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and duodenal ulcer with hiatal hernia, assigning a 30 percent evaluation for each condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral pes planus warrants a 30 percent rating from December 9, 1998. The effective date for service connection remains January 24, 1994.

The Board denied service connection for depression and right upper extremity disorder (carpal tunnel syndrome) in March 1990. The veteran's claim for service connection for a right upper extremity disorder characterized as carpal tunnel syndrome is reopened, but the claim remains denied due to lack of evidence linking current disability to service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral pes planus on an extraschedular basis was denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and residuals of frostbite of the hands and feet, finding that the veteran's current conditions were not well grounded.

The veteran's right knee disability is found to be proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability. The left knee disability prior to September 6, 1996, warrants a 10 percent evaluation; from November 1, 1997, it warrants a 30 percent evaluation. The veteran's right foot and left heel disabilities are each assigned a 10 percent evaluation.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the service-connected bilateral pes planus, currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, Achilles tendinitis/plantar fasciitis of the left foot, and Achilles tendinitis/plantar fasciitis of the right foot. The appeals were based on service connection being established through the merits rather than a presumption or reopening due to new evidence.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for pes planus is granted, and he is service-connected for a back disability secondary to his service-connected pes planus.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions are not well-grounded.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus is granted. The claim for secondary service connection for additional disability of the feet and fungus infection of the feet is well grounded, but further development is required before a decision can be made.

The Board found no competent evidence relating the veteran's low back disability to his service-connected bilateral pes planus, and denied the claim of secondary service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a foot disability and a skin disability, both claimed to be related to Agent Orange exposure. The claim for a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes was also denied.