Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a left ankle disability and therefore his claims for service connection for bilateral foot disabilities are denied. The veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, head injury (including headaches), and back injuries lack legal merit.

The veteran's asthma and left foot disability claims are remanded for further development, including additional VA examinations and evidence collection.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any foot disability that may be present. The veteran's claim is now pending with the RO.

The veteran's bilateral pes planus was rated at 10 percent from August 20, 1993 to January 28, 2003 and increased to 30 percent thereafter. The RO found the condition severe as of January 29, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a temporary total disability evaluation following right foot surgery in July 1997 and increased ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities. The veteran's conditions were found to be of direct service origin, with no evidence of exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, or Gulf War syndrome.

The appellant's claim for an initial, compensable disability rating for her service-connected left foot plantar fasciitis is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of records.

The veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including a left foot disability, low back disability, cervical spine disability, and residuals of a closed head injury. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain relevant medical records and provide the veteran with an examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee and left hip disabilities on a secondary basis to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied all service connection claims, including those for skin disorders and other conditions.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, flat feet, athlete's foot, and blood clot disorder. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for neck and lower back disorders is also remanded due to a lack of evidence showing causation.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a more contemporaneous VA examination to assess the current extent of her bilateral pes planus symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral defective hearing and tinnitus, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or until many years after discharge. Service connection was also denied for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes planus due to the absence of more severe impairment.,Service connection for residuals of cold injuries to the right and left foot was granted with a 30 percent rating effective from January 29, 2001. The earliest effective date for this service connection is January 29, 2001.

The Board has found the evidence currently of record sufficient to substantiate the veteran's entitlement to a 10 percent evaluation for bronchial asthma. The RO should address the merits of her bilateral foot disability and right forearm injury claims in a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right wrist disorder, epidermophytosis (claimed as punctuate plantar and palmar keratoderma), chronic headaches, back disorder, and stomach disorder. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and providing the veteran with examinations to determine the severity of his anxiety reaction, bilateral pes planus and hallux valgus, and back disorder. The claims will be adjudicated again based on this new evidence.

The Board has restored the 30% evaluation for flat feet, finding that the reduction from 30% to 10% was improper due to a failure to follow proper procedure.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, a disorder characterized by diarrhea, and an increased evaluation for hypertension to the RO for clarification and further action.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for pes planus of the left foot is denied as her current noncompensable rating adequately reflects the severity of her condition.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed back, ankle, foot disabilities, as well as his bilateral hearing loss. The appeal will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for bilateral pes planus and for increased ratings for shin splints, finding that there was no evidence of service connection prior to November 30, 2001.