Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal was granted for a rating of 30 percent for PTSD with a mood disorder, effective April 11, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran timely filed an appeal regarding his initial 10 percent rating for PTSD and established service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to GERD and hiatal hernia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left foot disability is due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder, specifically schizophrenia. The claim for SMC based on aid and attendance/housebound will be remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with this issue.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and denied service connection for flat feet. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine disability is also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA medical examination to address the issues of service connection and aggravation.

The Board has ordered a remand to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus was aggravated by service and whether any other foot disability is related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot, back, and right knee disabilities. The VA examiner found that these conditions were less likely caused by or related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and has continued since. The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was aggravated by service, as evidenced by significant threshold shifts in his audiometric results from before and after service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing by live videoconference. The issues of increased ratings for bilateral pes planus and left ankle disability are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and updated treatment records, as well as further consideration of the service connection claim.

The Veteran's back disability is not related to his military service and was not caused by or aggravated by his service connected pes planus. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including dysthymia and anxiety disorder, bilateral pes planus, tension headaches, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, and degenerative joint disease of the left knee, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.,The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities that are rated at 100% combined, meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities due to a full grant of benefits sought on appeal with respect to those issues.,Service connection was granted for bilateral knee disability, but the Veteran's current bilateral foot disability is not supported by evidence showing it is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee, hip, foot, and sleep apnea disabilities are not service-connected as they were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, including a right mid-dorsal foot with residual scar and fifth metatarsal osteotomy, bunionectomy, and excision of angiolipoma, is currently rated as 50 percent disabling. The rating has been granted since September 11, 2013.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and right foot disability due to insufficient development, including obtaining additional opinions from VA examiners regarding etiology.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is not related to his service, and thus denied. The right foot disability claim was not addressed due to lack of evidence.

The Board granted service connection for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The Veteran's claim of a compensable rating for bilateral iritis was denied, as were the issues related to increased ratings for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with herniated nucleus pulposus and history of ankylosing spondylitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Board video conference hearing and further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate reasons and bases regarding the nature of any functional loss and 38 C.F.R. § 4.59.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disability and bilateral foot condition are not related to his service or any service-connected disabilities, thus denying these claims.