Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims of increased ratings for PTSD and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, as well as his service connection claims for bilateral knee disability, bilateral pes planus, and thoracic spine disability. The decision also dismissed his claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied service connection for head injury residuals, right leg disability, right foot disability, and left knee disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting pes planus did not worsen during his second period of service and denied service connection for a bilateral foot disorder.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of flat feet and thus the veteran's claim for service connection for this disability must be denied.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus, hammertoes, and callosities is rated at 30 percent. The arthritis of the right shoulder and acromioclavicular joints has been rated at 20 percent since August 24, 1999. The arthritis of the left shoulder and acromioclavicular joints was increased to 20 percent as of January 5, 2007.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral flat feet and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a current diagnosis of the condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and conducting further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to missing service records and to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the appellant's current foot disorders and his period of service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral foot disorders, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and for increased evaluations for her bilateral foot plantar fasciitis, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or chronic condition, and that any current disabilities were not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, as he is unemployed due to his non-service-connected heart problems and COPD.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral rigid pes planus and a back disorder. The case has been remanded to provide appropriate VCAA notice, schedule the veteran for a VA examination regarding his current rigid pes planus, and readjudicate the claims based on the evidence.

The veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, and his right and left foot disabilities are each rated at 10 percent. The claims for increased ratings were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected left knee tendonitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, left tibialis muscle strain, and inguinal hernia scar as there was no evidence showing that any of these conditions warranted a compensable rating under VA's schedular criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's left foot hallux limitus is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis and/or bilateral ankle disabilities. The examiner must provide rationales for all opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient VCAA notice, and the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability is pending.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, are found to be so severe that they prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the veteran's multiple service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities prevent him from achieving a vocational goal, thus denying additional vocational rehabilitation training under Chapter 31.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability was granted, with his combined disability rating reaching 90 percent due to the addition of service-connected major depressive disorder. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the back disability claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected hypertension and bilateral flat feet, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.