Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete VA treatment records from January 2006 to September 2007.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right hand disability has been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a Social and Industrial Survey to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left foot plantar fasciitis, as well as her claim for a TDIU, are being remanded due to the need for additional development including examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for additional development and consideration of his claims, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected conditions on his employability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (lumbosacral strain, major depressive disorder, and bilateral pes planus) combine to make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral foot disability, diagnosed as bilateral plantar fasciitis, is service-connected due to aggravation of a preexisting condition (bilateral pes planus) during her active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus is denied as there is no competent, credible and probative evidence of current bilateral pes planus.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the bilateral knees (claimed as knee disability) is denied as there is no competent, probative medical evidence of any residuals of frostbite or any knee disability.,The Veteran's request to reopen a previously disallowed claim for service connection for heart disorder (previously characterized as rheumatic heart disease and claimed as a heart murmur) has not been met with new and material evidence. The January 1960 denial remains final.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is denied as the symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 9411.,The Veteran's request for an effective date earlier than December 17, 2008 for service connection for PTSD lacks legal merit.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The left knee ganglion cyst is rated at 10 percent, with no additional compensable rating for extension or instability. Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's plantar warts, which involve painful scars, are currently rated at 10 percent under the old rating criteria. The Board has determined that this is the appropriate evaluation based on the symptoms described.

The Veteran's bilateral foot condition has been manifested by pronounced impairment, including marked pronation, extreme tenderness of plantar surfaces of the feet, and lack of improvement by orthopedic shoes or appliances. The Board finds substantial evidence supports a rating of 50 percent for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral pes planus, allergic conjunctivitis, vitreal floaters, a disability affecting the knuckles of the right hand (trigger fingers), and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that an effective date prior to February 28, 2007 for the awards of service connection for right (major) shoulder strain, left hip strain, lumbar strain, bilateral tinnitus, pes planus, left lateral leg scar residuals, post-operative pilonidal cyst removal scar residuals, and psoriasis is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis, hammertoes, plantar warts, and peripheral vascular disease of the right foot. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various orthopedic and neurological conditions have been denied as there is no competent evidence showing a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical records and to provide the Veteran with an examination to determine the etiology of his left foot disability. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle or foot disability and therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be granted.

The Veteran's PTSD, thoracic disc space narrowing, loss of left superior pectoralis muscle, and other service-connected conditions have been granted increased ratings.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, left foot disability resulting from cold weather injury in service, and tinnitus) is 80 percent. This does not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.