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

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, service connection for depression, a compensable initial rating for bilateral eye disability (photophobia), service connection for a skin disability of the left hand, and service connection for a right foot disability are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left foot disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and arthritis is not shown to have been manifested within one year of discharge.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot disorders, including hallux rigidus, Haglund's deformity, hammertoes, and arthritis, did not manifest in service or to a compensable degree within one year of separation. The Veteran's current symptoms are more likely related to his military service than to diabetes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting pes planus was aggravated during active service, and thus granted service connection for bilateral pes planus. The Board found insufficient evidence to support a finding of service connection for the bilateral hip disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot disability, to include bone spurs, is being remanded due to the need for a VA medical examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, spondylosis of the spine, and bilateral hydroceles and epidermal cysts. The Board found no medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus warrants a 30 percent disability rating since March 26, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying the appellant's periods of active duty and inactive duty training. The appeal will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition was denied, and his increased rating for bilateral pes planus was granted. The issue of TDIU remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left foot disability, other than from a pre-existing gunshot wound to his left ankle, did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is 70%, which meets the threshold for a TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unemployable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected conditions, including fibromyalgia, vision loss, allergic rhinitis, and plantar warts of the right foot. The Veteran was not granted any compensable ratings.

The Board denied claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis, bilateral foot disability, bilateral ankle disability, and skin disability of the hands and forearms. The Veteran's conditions were not found to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis with cavus foot formation, folliculitis and contact dermatitis, GERD, IBS, CFS, and lumbar degenerative disk disease. Service connection is denied for the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and neck.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board denied his claim. The VA examination report is inadequate for adjudicative purposes regarding bilateral pes planus, asbestosis, and a back disability.

The Veteran's right foot disorder, including a chronic foot strain and plantar fasciitis, was incurred in service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports this finding.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 5, 2001 for a 50 percent disability rating for bilateral pes planus, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the January 1972 rating decision.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, finding no evidence of these conditions during active service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and a bilateral foot disability (residuals of frostbite), noting the absence of any in-service diagnosis or treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee, foot, thoracolumbar spine, left hand injury, and headache disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected left plantar fasciitis does not meet or nearly approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under any applicable diagnostic codes.