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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and hypertension. The Veteran's current conditions are attributed to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted, with the right foot disability being rated at 10 percent. The low back degenerative changes are considered to be proximately due to a service-connected condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus disability is manifested by pain on use of the feet with some improvement by orthotic shoes or appliances, and thus continued the previously assigned 10 percent rating. The claim for an increased rating was denied.

The Board finds that the appellant's current chronic lumbar strain with right lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and obstructive airway disease are related to service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for flat feet and lung cancer, finding that new evidence did not warrant reopening of the flat feet claim and that lung cancer was not incurred or aggravated in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pes planus, finding that her pre-existing congenital pes planus disorder was not aggravated during active military service and did not initially manifest during active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection were denied. The Board found that the right foot fracture did not warrant a compensable initial rating, left foot fracture was not shown to be related to service or service-connected conditions, bilateral pes planus was not shown to be related to service or service-connected conditions, and low back disability was not shown to be caused by service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim. The Veteran's current bilateral foot disability is at least as likely as not related to his in-service treatment. Service connection for knee, hip, and low back disabilities are also granted as secondary to the bilateral foot disability.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral foot disability, including plantar warts, was not incurred or aggravated during active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension, bilateral foot disability, edema of ankles, knees and hands, and dental condition are not due to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The claims were denied as secondary service connection is not warranted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and records related to the Veteran's bilateral foot conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral pes planus did not increase in severity during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the relationship between his claimed conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle and right foot disabilities are being remanded due to the unavailability of in-service medical records. The RO is instructed to attempt to obtain these records, including any hospitalization reports from Panama and treatment records from a private facility in Minneapolis.

The Veteran's appeal for additional vocational rehabilitation training benefits has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral patellofemoral syndrome with osteoarthritis and cervical spondylosis are rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations. The Veteran's plantar fasciitis does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, the highest available rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The other claims are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing correspondence and incomplete medical records. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to determine if his current cervical spine, lumbar spine, and flat feet disabilities are related to service.

The Board has determined that additional VA treatment records and the Veteran's complete personnel file are needed to properly adjudicate his service connection claims for bilateral flat feet, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a cervical spine injury, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral hands, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of an acquired foot disability related to service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.