Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2001

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the appeals for higher initial evaluations were also denied. The veteran was granted a reopening of his claim for irritable bowel syndrome on new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidence and procedural issues, including a need for further development of the evidentiary record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated by active service and denied his claim. The left knee disability and bilateral pes planus were also denied as there is no evidence of their onset during service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and medical records review. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU) remains pending.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear was reopened, but his claims for pes planus and hemorrhoids were not reopened.,Service connection is being considered on a direct basis for all three conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her service connection claims, including obtaining missing service medical records and scheduling VA examinations. Her claim for a higher rating for hepatitis C will also be addressed.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus does not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as his other conditions and age preclude this conclusion.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left shoulder disorder, including arthritis, as aggravated by his service. The other issues on appeal will be addressed in a separate remand.

The veteran's request for Service Disabled Veterans Insurance (RH) is inextricably intertwined with his claims for service connection for various disabilities. The appeal of eligibility for RH is held in abeyance pending resolution of the service connection claims.

The veteran's service-connected disability, which includes status post surgery right foot with triple arthrodesis and bilateral pes planus, is shown to be productive of an overall level of impairment that more nearly approximates pronounced foot disablement. As such, the RO granted a 50 percent rating for this condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for flat feet and PTSD, finding that new evidence submitted since the prior denial is not material. The claim for a back disorder was also denied as there was no competent medical evidence linking the current condition to service.

The veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds no basis for assignment of a higher disability rating.

The veteran's left arm pain and numbness, including thoracic outlet syndrome and ulnar neuritis, as well as his cervical spine condition, were incurred during active service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claims for service connection for pes planus and hypertension. The appellant served on active duty from March 1968 to March 1970, and testified that he first experienced foot problems during his military service. Post-service medical records confirm a diagnosis of pes planus and ongoing hypertension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus with metatarsalgia and fungus infection of the feet, as well as his claim for TDIU. The current evaluations are deemed appropriate.

The veteran's low back pain syndrome is granted with a 40 percent evaluation effective March 2, 2000. Bilateral pes planus and right long finger metacarpophalangeal joint disability are each granted with noncompensable evaluations.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's bilateral pes planus is service-connected, based on evidence showing it first manifested during his active duty.

The Board determined that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis and pes planus of the right foot, as his current condition is not shown to be related to service.

The Board's October 1983 decision is vacated as it failed to address the issue of service connection for callouses of the feet, which had been procedurally developed. The issues of pes planus and residuals of a foot injury were not addressed due to jurisdictional barriers.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for temporomandibular joint syndrome is granted, with a rating of 10 percent. The claims for bilateral knee condition and pes planus are addressed in the remand attached to this decision.