Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2007

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not necessitate the care or assistance of another person on a regular basis to attend to his activities of daily living and to protect him from the hazard or dangers of his daily environment, thus denying entitlement to SMC.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder, left knee disorder, flat feet, lung disorder, skin disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The RO's decisions were based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus, a toenail disorder, or pes planus in service. The veteran's current conditions are not presumed to have been incurred during service and there is insufficient medical evidence linking the current conditions to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence linking his current heel spur to his military service, and the left foot disability was not shown to be more than moderate in severity.

The veteran's pes planus was found to have originated during service and is therefore granted service connection. The left wrist disability, however, did not result from VA care or negligence, so the 1151 claim for compensation is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left foot disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability. The right foot disability claim is pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a need for an orthopedic examination and review of service medical records.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and for higher initial ratings for postoperative nasal polyposis residuals and lumbosacral spine osteoarthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right hand injury and for increased ratings for metatarsalgia with plantar keratoses and bilateral pes cavus. The appeal was also dismissed regarding his temporary total convalescent evaluation based on surgery in 1988 for service-connected metatarsalgia with plantar keratoses.

The veteran's initial claims for increased ratings for pulmonary granulamotous, fibromyalgia, and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and a history of arthritic bone spurs were denied.,Pulmonary granulamotous is currently inactive and asymptomatic.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral pes planus with degenerative joint disease does not warrant a higher evaluation, as there is no evidence of pronounced flatfoot or other symptoms required for such an increase.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service medical records and incomplete VA treatment records, as well as inadequate notice under Dingess v. Nicholson.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral flat feet, a right hand disorder, and a psychiatric disorder other than schizophrenia were denied. The claim to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for schizophrenia was granted due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the December 2002 opinion supporting the veteran's claim is the most probative evidence concerning the etiology of the veteran's bilateral foot disability, and service connection for a bilateral foot disability is granted.

The Board found that the appellant's left knee condition was not incurred or aggravated during ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA, and therefore denied service connection for a left knee disability. The claim for bilateral foot disability is also pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of upper respiratory infection, sinusitis, varicose veins, bilateral foot disability, otitis media, inguinal hernia, or left testicle varicocele. As such, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation of bilateral pes planus and service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, shin splints, and a bilateral knee condition as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral flat foot and an initial compensable rating for tinea pedis, finding that there was no evidence of aggravation during service or a current disability resulting from service. The veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for his tinea pedis.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including providing proper VCAA notice and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for facial acne, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral bunions. The veteran's pre-existing conditions were found to not have been aggravated by her active service.