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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his left foot disability and sleep apnea. The Board will seek to determine the severity of his service-connected left foot condition, as well as whether his sleep apnea is related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for various service-connected conditions were denied. A 20% rating was granted for bladder dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination. The claim for PTSD has been reopened, but further evidence is needed to establish its etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, bilateral pes planus, and hammer toes. The appeal regarding the hammer toes condition is remanded to obtain an updated VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also granted, and the issue of increased rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches, obstructive sleep apnea, right wrist strain, sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, gynecological disorder (including dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia), plantar fasciitis of the right foot, residuals of a right ankle strain, retinal degeneration, and onychomycosis of the toes. The other conditions were either denied or not addressed in terms of service connection.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on employment. The case is now pending for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral foot condition, Meniere’s syndrome, sleep issues, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and generalized anxiety disorder with panic due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee and left foot disabilities, as well as his lumbar spine, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, left leg, and bilateral ankle disabilities. The claims are remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and conduct new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural errors and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his character of discharge during his second period of service.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, right ankle, left foot, and right foot disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or in-service cold exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral ankle/foot disability due to new and material evidence. The claims for increased ratings for left knee DJD and right knee DJD are also remanded.

Entitlement to service connection for a right knee meniscus disability, bilateral hearing loss, constipation, and some other conditions is denied. The Board has ordered remands for further development on the issues of service connection for bilateral ankle and plantar fasciitis disabilities.,An initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis is denied. Service connection for asthma is also denied as a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis with degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and consideration of whether a separate rating under DC 5284 is warranted.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her lumbar spine and left foot disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her bilateral pes planus with subtalar joint arthritis is granted, but the issues regarding knee and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right foot, pulmonary, and skin disabilities. The cases are remanded to obtain additional medical records and to provide a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus as there was no evidence of an increase in severity during service and the examiner concluded that the Veteran's pes planus is not related to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD, sleep apnea, migraines, left ankle strain, tinnitus, hypertension, costochondritis, allergic rhinitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis are all rated at the maximum schedular ratings. The Veteran's Restless Leg Syndrome is rated as 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and consideration of additional treatment records.