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

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for pes planus, which was previously denied in March 2002.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and a need for clarification of the veteran's claims. The veteran is advised that he needs to provide new evidence or clarify his claim.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to incomplete VCAA notice and need for further medical examinations.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for left and right knee chondromalacia, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for bilateral pes planus. The evidence does not support an increase in disability ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for right thumb metacarpophalangeal joint tenderness and granted service connection. The veteran's claim for service connection for plantar fasciitis was also granted.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and separate evaluations for the service-connected conditions listed. The case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to the veteran's hospitalization and requested a rescheduling of his hearing.

The veteran's bilateral pes planus is pronounced and warrants an initial evaluation of 50 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral flat feet (pes planus) as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including providing a supplemental statement of the case and scheduling an examination to address the appellant's claims related to his ACDUTRA period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current right foot and arthritis conditions. The veteran's appeal will be reconsidered based on this additional evidence.

The veteran's service connection claims for syncopal episodes with hypotension, left internal carotid artery aneurysm, headaches, and bilateral plantar fasciitis were granted. The claim for lower extremity bruising (claimed as spider veins) was denied. An initial higher evaluation of 40 percent was granted for myofacial pain syndrome of the lumbosacral spine with rotational scoliosis, also claimed as radiculopathy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic infectious hepatitis with cirrhosis and bilateral pes planus, as well as his service connection claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease, a left elbow disorder, and a left knee disorder. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has found that additional development is necessary due to conflicting diagnoses and the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the left foot condition. The veteran's claim will be remanded for further examination and review.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including knee disability, foot disability, headaches, constipation, and psychiatric disorder, all secondary to his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome status post discectomy.

The Board has reopened the appellant's service connection claim for the cause of the veteran's death due to new and material evidence submitted since the December 2000 decision. However, the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any service-connected disability caused or contributed substantially or materially to the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence. The issues include service connection for schizophrenia, increased evaluations for pes planus of both feet, and an increased evaluation for hypertension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of instability or compensable limitation of motion in his knees. The claim for secondary service connection for pes planus was also denied due to lack of medical opinion supporting a nexus between the condition and his service-connected leg disabilities.

The Board has requested additional verification of the veteran's service periods, particularly regarding his deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The case is being remanded for further development and readjudication.