Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling him for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back, left knee, right knee, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and left ankle conditions. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred in or related to service.

The Veteran's pre-existing bilateral pes planus was aggravated during service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, sinusitis, rhinitis, left hand condition, and right hand condition have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and denied an increased rating for the Veteran's thyroid disability.

The Veteran's service-connected fibromyalgia, bilateral plantar fasciitis, left knee, and left testalgia disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now pending. The Board finds new and material evidence to support the reopening of his claims for right heel disability, memory loss, and residuals of groin injury.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for pes planus with plantar keratosis, second metatarsal and atrophy of plantar fat pad is denied. The claim for service connection for a vascular disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability is remanded due to insufficient nexus opinion. His claims for increased ratings for left foot metatarsalgia and plantar fasciitis are granted with an initial rating of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his spinal and foot disabilities and his service-connected conditions. The VA must obtain additional opinions addressing causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, the issues regarding right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, bilateral pes planus, right hip condition, and right shoulder condition are still pending as they were previously denied.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral foot disabilities due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records, as well as scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar keratomas with scarring was denied a compensable rating prior to August 13, 2018 and since that date. The new criteria for skin disabilities were applied prospectively from the effective date of the change forward.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right and left wrist conditions, bilateral foot conditions, and back disability due to a lack of current disabilities as defined by VA regulations. The claim was not remanded or reopened.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability and bilateral hearing loss, but granted a 10% rating for right foot disability prior to May 26, 2016. The Veteran's PTSD claim is remanded due to inadequate medical evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the appellant's bilateral pes planus and posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, which is already service connected. The examiner should provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to active service or secondary to his right foot arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's back disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus and bilateral ankle disabilities. The Veteran was noted to limp in 2008, 2009, and 2010, and a private podiatrist report indicated that his gait strain may have contributed to his back disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right foot disability, left foot disability, lumbar spine disability, liver disability (hepatitis B and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), memory loss, headaches, left eye disability (cataracts and glaucoma), high cholesterol, right knee disability, and left knee disability (arthritis).