Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2015

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hepatitis B and associated disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, bilateral foot and knee disabilities, back disability, and digestive disability/IBS have been remanded due to the need for additional development of medical evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lung and heart disabilities, as well as several other conditions, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of such disabilities during or within one year after service, nor any competent medical opinion linking them to service.

The Veteran does not have a bilateral foot disability that is shown in service or related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The Board finds the VA examination opinion against the claim to be more probative than the outpatient report.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a DRO hearing at the Muskogee, Oklahoma location.

The Veteran's appeal was found to be timely filed, and his claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for DJD, bilateral great toes as secondary to the service-connected disability of bilateral pes planus is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is service-connected. The issue of left elbow olecranon bursitis remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral shin splints and sinusitis was granted. The claims for increased ratings for right ankle strain, migraines, major depressive disorder, low back strain, plantar fasciitis, and pes planus were also granted with specific rating assignments.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was incurred in service and is presumed to be related. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports his claim for service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a left foot sprain, finding no evidence of chronic disability related to the in-service injury. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish secondary service connection for bilateral knee replacements.,The Veteran's current left foot conditions (calcaneal osteotomy, degenerative arthritis, and plantar heel spur) were not shown to be causally related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left foot, right elbow, and cervical spine disabilities did not have their onset during service or are otherwise related to service. The preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment prior to August 24, 2011. From that date forward, the evidence does not show he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, securing SSA disability benefits records, and scheduling a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development regarding his claims of increased disability ratings for lumbar spondylosis and a right foot disability.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was evaluated under Diagnostic Code 5276, and the Board found that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as he had no pronounced symptomatology. The Veteran also had other conditions such as calcaneas bursitis (left foot), gout, and alcoholic peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been granted increased ratings, with the right and left knees each receiving a separate rating for subluxation. The initial ratings were granted effective September 23, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, asbestosis, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for enhanced/higher SMC based on his multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of his claimed right and/or left ankle disability, plantar fasciitis, and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied across multiple conditions, with the Board finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.