Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2016

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease, effective from April 16, 2010.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for left foot plantar fasciitis has been dismissed. The Veteran's right foot plantar fasciitis is characterized by chronic pain, pressure, and swelling that are exacerbated by standing and walking.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence. The pre-existing pes planus, bunions, and other foot disabilities are found to be aggravated by active duty service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus was initially rated at 10 percent prior to January 6, 2015.

The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities, including hammer toes and degenerative joint disease, are currently rated at 10 percent each. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current disability levels.

The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's ankle/foot disability, including whether it is related to his service-connected left knee injury. The examiner will also address any other diagnosed foot conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion from a VA podiatrist regarding the Veteran's right foot disability and scheduling him for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected kidney stone disorder.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review it.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his hearing loss, tinnitus, and left foot disability.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) prior to November 16, 2009. The Board is required to determine if there is plausible evidence that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities prior to this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his low back disability and fibromyalgia, and obtaining a VA opinion regarding the relationship between his bilateral plantar fasciitis and service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected cervical spine, right foot disabilities, and multiple scars on the right thumb. The reduction in the rating for the service-connected right shoulder disability from 20 percent to 10 percent effective May 26, 2011 was found to be proper.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and a neurological foot disability (numbness of the feet) are denied as there is no evidence of continuous or recurrent symptoms during active service, nor any nexus to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar calluses have been rated at 50 percent since October 2015, and his TDIU claim has been granted.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was rated at 10 percent prior to October 22, 2012. Beginning from that date, the disability is now rated at 50 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities were denied. The initial non-compensable and 10 percent ratings assigned to the right hand, left hand, bilateral pes planus, and right knee disability have been restored.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis. The remaining issues are addressed in the REMAND that follows.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes planus prior to December 2, 2015 and in excess of 50 percent since December 2, 2015. The highest schedular ratings available were already provided.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found no chronic orthopedic left leg disability, and the flat feet and lumbar spine conditions are rated appropriately under the applicable diagnostic codes.