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

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right knee disability, flat feet, low back disorder, and other injuries. The RO granted service connection for a chip fracture of the second finger of the right hand but denied all other claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for various service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine, carpal tunnel release of both wrists, hemorrhoids, repair of anal fissure, removal of colon polyps, plantar fasciitis of the right foot, residuals of cholecystectomy, residuals of appendectomy, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection of a left foot disability, concluding that there is no basis to support such a finding based on the medical evidence which did not show any current left foot disability and excluded military service as the cause.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected plantar warts do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as there is no medical evidence of current plantar wart pathology or residuals.

The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus could aggravate his low back pain, resulting in a grant of secondary service connection for low back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ankle disability, bilateral pes planus, low back disability, and psychophysiologic gastrointestinal disease. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The veteran's bilateral flat feet disability is currently manifested by symptoms including pain, weakness and swelling. The RO has granted a 30 percent disability rating for this condition.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his bilateral foot condition, initially assigned at 20 percent and effective from September 1978, is denied. The current disability picture primarily includes painful motion, amputations of the 5th toes, and pronation of the heels.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination of his feet and compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals denied an increased disability rating for the veteran's bilateral pes planus with postoperative osteotomies and recurrent plantar callosities, currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling.

The veteran's service-connected painful scars on the plantar surface of both feet are currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that it was not incurred during his active military service and is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected back disability.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting pes planus did not worsen during service and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board's January 1988 decision reducing the veteran's pes planus rating from 50% to 30% was found to be clearly and unmistakably erroneous, and the original 50% rating is restored.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for increased ratings for pes planus and degenerative joint disease of the right knee have been denied as there is no evidence to support higher evaluations based on current disability levels.

The veteran's plantar fasciitis of the right foot is rated 10% and his bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee condition, involving a tear of the anterior body of the lateral meniscus, was incurred during active military service. The initial evaluations for low back disability and pes planus will be remanded for further review.

The Board granted an increased evaluation of 30 percent for bilateral pes planus and service connection for residuals of bilateral subungual exostectomies, but denied the request for a higher rating for flat feet.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right foot plantar fasciitis with Achilles tendonitis does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent, based on the current symptomatology and lack of evidence supporting more severe impairment.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development and consideration of the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, including obtaining all relevant medical records and scheduling an examination.