Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, characterized as jungle rot, has been withdrawn due to his satisfaction with the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus has been rated as 10 percent disabling since September 20, 2004.,Service connection for a low back disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's pes planus had its onset during active service and the Board finds that he is entitled to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's post traumatic headaches are rated at 50 percent, and his bilateral flat feet are currently rated at 30 percent. The effective date for the 30 percent rating for bilateral flat feet is September 23, 2005.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of the evidence is against the Veteran's claim for service connection for pes planus, and thus denied the claim.

The Board found no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to the claimed disabilities, and there were no continuous symptoms after service. Therefore, the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral porokeratosis and bilateral plantar flexed metatarsal have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations to evaluate the severity of her service-connected right foot disabilities and iatrophic hypothyroidism status post thyroidectomy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disability and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's shell fragment wound scar, healed fracture of the third right toe, and resultant plantar wart and callus have been rated as a single disability under Diagnostic Code 5310. The Board finds that the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation are met.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for right foot disability, which was previously denied in September 1985. The evidence submitted since then does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a bilateral foot disability, finding that there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a foot disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability secondary to her service-connected left knee disability and for a left foot disability, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The veteran's pes planus with heel spurs, hallux abductovalgus and plantar fasciitis is rated at 30 percent disabling. The veteran's neuralgia of the left medial calcaneal nerve is evaluated as non-compensable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and etiological opinions regarding his service-connected diabetes mellitus and its impact on his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral pes planus was denied as the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5276.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his urinary disability.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and development of medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for an SOC on the issue of service connection for left foot heel spur with bilateral plantar fasciitis, and both issues are inextricably intertwined. The pes planus increased rating issue will be returned to the Board.