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

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found that the earliest evidence of a claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis was received on April 18, 2006.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional action due to a lack of prior review.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right hip/sacroiliac joint arthritis does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, and his plantar wart and tinea pedis of the right foot do not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is currently under review due to the need for further examination and evaluation. The Board has not yet assigned a rating for her diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, or bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims for service connection of a right (dominant) shoulder disability, a right forearm disability, a right knee disability and a bilateral foot disability, to include chronic disability manifested by swollen right foot.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no decision was made on the merits of whether new and material evidence had been presented to reopen a claim for service connection for a right foot disability.

The Board determined that the Veteran's current foot disabilities, including left hindfoot fusion, were not caused by or aggravated by the January 1990 left ankle triple arthrodesis. The Veteran's existing foot conditions predated the surgery and are considered a necessary consequence of the procedure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the conditions listed in his claims. The VA made all reasonable efforts to assist him, but he failed to report for scheduled examinations and missed a hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further consideration due to the need for clarification regarding whether his pes planus and hallux valgus/bunions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records review. The issue of a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus deformity will be reconsidered, while the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder will proceed separately.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus and major depressive disorder are still pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection have been denied. The initial evaluation for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis remains at 10 percent, while the lumbar strain with intervertebral disc syndrome is rated at 30 percent as of April 8, 2008. Service connection has not been established for prolactin-secreting pituitary tumor, sleep apnea, or residuals of breast reduction and right thumb sprain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for G6PD deficiency and an initial evaluation for flat feet with left hallux valgus, corns and bunions prior to November 17, 2008 were denied. The Veteran currently has a 30% rating for the flat feet condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed foot disabilities and whether there is any relationship between piriformis syndrome and service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with bunions was reduced from a 50 percent rating to a 30 percent rating effective November 1, 2005. The reduction was proper as there is no evidence of marked pronation, extreme tenderness of plantar surfaces of the feet, marked inward displacement, or severe spasm of the Achilles tendon on manipulation.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted and assigned a 50 percent evaluation for the period prior to June 1, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus is rated at 30 percent effective from November 30, 2006. The Veteran's service-connected amputation of right index finger remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, hearing loss, right knee disability, osteoarthritis of the hips, left hand disability, flat feet, and depression. The evidence submitted did not provide a link between these conditions and service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 30 percent for bilateral pes planus was granted, with a 30 percent rating effective November 15, 1999.