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

The Board denied service connection for pes planus, arthritis of the right knee, and arthritis of the left knee. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not found to be related to his in-service conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have approximated the criteria for a 70 percent rating from September 26, 2006. The claims for higher ratings for right and left knee disabilities remain on appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a current diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy and osteoarthritis of the toe related to his in-service injury.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed low back and left knee disabilities are not related to his service, and arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board found no evidence of a left foot disability during service and concluded that the current condition is not related to active duty. The Veteran's claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of the feet, right knee, and low back are deemed to make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar strain, bilateral pes planus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and schizophrenia) due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions during or related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment and personnel records from 1991 to 1994. The Veteran's claims for right foot disability and psychiatric disorder will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability and bilateral pes planus were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service. The preexisting conditions did not show an increase in severity during service, and there was no evidence of aggravation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased disability evaluation for plantar warts, rated 50 percent disabling.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

Service connection for bilateral pes planus is granted. An effective date of March 25, 2002, and no earlier, for the grant of service connection for a bilateral foot fungus disorder is granted. A 10 percent disability rating is granted for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral foot fungus disorder effective April 8, 2002.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus was denied, and his non-service-connected pension claim was also denied due to lack of active wartime service. The Veteran's second period of service did not meet the minimum 90 days of wartime service requirement.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decisions were made.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection and increased ratings in the specified cases, thus dismissing these matters.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral tibial tendonitis and initial compensable ratings for right foot pes planus with hallux valgus have been denied. The Veteran's conditions of right foot pes planus and left foot pes planus with hallux valgus are currently rated as 10%.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decisions were made.

The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral pes planus worsened or otherwise underwent an increase in severity beyond the natural progression of the disease process during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vocational rehabilitation training at INSEAD in France was unique and not available in the United States, preventing him from attending due to personal hardship. The criteria for vocational rehabilitation training outside the United States have been met.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disability and a spine disability, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen his claim of left foot disability. The Board also found that there is no evidence showing a current spine disability or any link between the Veteran's in-service treatment and his current condition.