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

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence showing the conditions were incurred in service. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether his current left knee and foot disabilities were caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's initial rating appeal for bilateral plantar keratoses was granted a 10 percent rating effective February 26, 2006. For the period from November 7, 2007, he received a 50 percent rating for marked bilateral pes cavus with painful plantar hyperkeratoses.

Service connection is granted for flat feet.,Service connection is denied for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development, including scheduling a hearing on his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a medial plantar ligament strain of the right foot involving the first metatarsal joint with secondary right heel spurs have been productive of no more than a moderate foot disability throughout this appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's current foot disabilities, including his congenital Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, were not directly incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, internal hemorrhoids, varicose veins of the lower extremities, eczema, left foot cold weather injury residuals, right foot plantar fasciitis, and right foot calcaneal fracture. The reasons provided are that there is no current evidence linking these conditions to service or any other basis for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, bilateral foot disability, and a psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) are all granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral pes planus, but concluded that the Veteran's current diagnosis of pes planus did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a lack of compliance with previous directives. The appellant's claim will be reviewed again after the requested development is completed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pes planus began during service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining SSA records.

The Veteran's pre-existing bilateral foot disabilities were aggravated by active military service, resulting in current symptoms and disability.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with callosities and hyperkeratosis punctate plantaris was rated at 30 percent prior to August 19, 2009. Starting on August 19, 2009, the disability was reevaluated as 'obvious' with multiple skin lesions causing extreme tenderness and reduced standing endurance to approximately 10 minutes. The Veteran is now rated at 50 percent for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of a right inguinal hernia, finding that the injury likely occurred during INACDUTRA. The claims for bilateral pes planus and ankle disorders are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and residuals of a right hand injury are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for sarcoidosis of the skin with complaints of joint pain, bilateral heel spurs with arthritis of the tarsal bone, and hypertension were denied as there is no evidence showing that any condition requires constant or near-constant systemic therapy such as corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs during the past 12-month period. The rating schedule does not provide a separate rating for pain.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral flat foot with plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, and heel spurs was granted effective December 9, 2009. Prior to that date, the disability had been rated as noncompensable.