Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2014

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision, thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the issues of service connection for various conditions. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new examination.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the claims of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, for service connection for a bilateral foot disability including as secondary to the service-connected chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disk disease, and for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD including as secondary to the service connected head injury residuals.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and thus denied his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes planus is remanded for issuance of a statement of the case.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left hip, left knee, bilateral pes planus, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities. The effective date was not addressed as this is an original claim filed by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected right foot plantar fasciitis is not considered to be moderate, and thus does not warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 30 percent, the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The other service-connected conditions are not entitled to higher ratings.

The Board granted increased ratings of 30 percent for left foot disability and 20 percent for right foot disability, effective from March 20, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for a left foot disability, finding that the current condition is not related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to her failure to report for a scheduled Travel Board hearing. She has requested that the hearing be rescheduled at the Atlanta, Georgia RO.

The Board granted the Veteran an initial compensable disability rating for his tinea pedis, denied increased ratings for his pes planus and headaches, but granted a higher rating (70%) for his PTSD effective from March 24, 2004. The effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits were also established.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus has been rated at the highest possible level of 50 percent, which is a full grant of his claim for higher ratings. The arthritis of his feet was not separately evaluated as it is considered part and parcel of the service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran is granted service connection for bilateral pes planus.,Service connection is denied for loss of vision in the right eye and back disability.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of private medical expenses incurred in December 2008 and January 2009 is denied as VA did not provide prior authorization for the treatment.

The Board has restored a 30 percent disability rating for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis from October 1, 2009.

The Veteran's claims were granted, with some issues receiving increased evaluations and others having effective dates assigned. The service-connected conditions include left wrist fracture, left ankle disability, asthma, and a skin disorder.

The January 1984 rating decision incorrectly denied service connection for pes planus, which the Board determined was not properly evaluated due to a failure to apply the correct legal standard. The Veteran's claim is granted as service connection is established based on in-service incurrence of the condition.