Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, and right foot disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disabilities, specifically right and left plantar fasciitis with calcaneal spur, have been rated at a 10 percent disability evaluation as of May 4, 2010. The current evaluations are considered appropriate based on the severity of her symptoms and functional impact.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are presumed to have existed prior to service and did not worsen during service.

The Board denied service connection for pes planus and other joint disorders, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and service connection were denied. The claim for TDIU prior to January 17, 2008, was dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits were also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and lack of review of prior x-rays. The appellant's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability is now before the RO for further development.

The Board found that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, as the newly submitted medical records do not show that the condition was permanently worsened by military service or caused by it.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral plantar and calcaneal fasciitis is service-connected, as it has been shown to have originated during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service treatment records and to request in-patient clinical records from the US Army Hospital in Fort Carson and Landstuhl Hospital. The AOJ will then readjudicate his claims based on the updated evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is considered a result of noise exposure in service. The issues regarding bilateral plantar fasciitis and bilateral hearing loss disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination and a VA examination of the feet.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a low back disability and granted it. The claims for allergies, dyspnea secondary to allergies, sinus disability, and left foot disability were not supported by the evidence presented.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations. The claims of service connection for bilateral hip disabilities and pes planus are being reviewed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disability and a lumbar spine disability, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims. The Board also found no reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims based on the additional evidence submitted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating on the merits was denied as her current disability is already rated at its highest possible level.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues except arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran has coronary artery disease, presumed to have been incurred due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left foot disability. The case will be readjudicated following these actions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a retrospective medical opinion regarding whether her service-connected disabilities rendered her unemployable from April 5, 2006 to December 31, 2007. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining this information.