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

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a left foot disability, skin cancer, and a skin disability manifested by boils are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical opinions on etiology.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal condition is not service connected as it did not worsen during service. The left foot disability and rectal bleeding are presumed to have occurred in service, but the medical evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran meets the threshold disability percentage requirements for consideration of a TDIU on a schedular basis, but further development is needed to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, plantar calluses, and plantar fasciitis. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are supported by in-service treatment records and the presence of symptoms during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and readjudication of the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his records. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, pharyngitis, Eustachian tube dysfunction, a psychiatric disorder, and plantar fasciitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's monoarticular inflammation of the right foot was caused by service and grants service connection for this condition. The other conditions were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance of another person was denied as he does not require the assistance of another person in meeting his daily needs such as dressing, food preparation, and keeping himself ordinarily clean.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus disability has manifested as severe for the period prior to July 9, 2015. The Board finds an increased rating to 30 percent is warranted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral pes planus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a pre-existing bilateral pes planus condition that was aggravated by his active duty service, and thus he is entitled to service connection.

The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has determined that a rating of 20 percent is warranted for each ankle disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including pes planus with degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease, bilateral knee and ankle degenerative joint disease, meet the criteria for a TDIU as they result in his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including low back strain with degenerative disc disease, left knee chondromalacia, right knee chondromalacia, right foot traumatic arthritis with pes planus, left foot traumatic arthritis with pes planus, right hip degenerative arthritis, and left hip degenerative arthritis, meet the minimum combined rating criteria for a TDIU since February 27, 2006. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to these disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus disability has been manifested by pain, decreased longitudinal arch height on weight-bearing, and marked pronation. The symptoms are not relieved with use of orthotics and result in functional impairment with symptoms of pain with prolonged weight bearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and right foot disabilities are not related to his military service. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and his time in active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining recent medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran also requested a Board hearing.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination. The appeal will be remanded to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of bilateral breast reduction surgery is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has scarring due to her in-service breast reduction surgery, which meets the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and further development of his claims.