Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection of thyroid cancer or a thyroid condition was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The appeal for increased ratings on various foot disabilities, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and sebaceous cysts were all denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right hip disability, left foot plantar fasciitis, right foot plantar fasciitis, left foot hammer toe, and right foot hammer toe. The claims are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral pes planus was granted, and she is now rated at 30% from July 18, 2013 to February 5, 2015. The appeal for an increased evaluation above 30% between February 5, 2015 and April 8, 2016 was denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and TDIU are dismissed. The appeal for service connection of pes planus with plantar fasciitis is granted, but the appeal for service connection of an abnormal heart is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and review, but did not assign a specific rating or effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pes planus was aggravated during his second period of service and is entitled to an effective date of September 19, 1973 based on a readjudication of an original claim filed within one year of service discharge.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and right foot disability.

The Board dismissed the appeal as there was no new evidence or disagreement regarding service connection for bilateral pes planus since the August 2014 decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted. The appeal as to the claim of service connection for burn scars of the right forearm and face is moot, and the claim is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and bladder cancer. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records and providing etiological opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during active service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar warts are currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to determine the current level of severity and impact on the Veteran's ability to walk.

Service connection for tinnitus, pes planus, and sinusitis is denied.,An earlier effective date of December 15, 2015 for service connection of pseudofolliculitis barbae is denied. Service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder from February 6, 2012 to October 1, 2015 is granted at a 70 percent evaluation and an evaluation in excess of 70 percent after January 1, 2016 is denied. An evaluation in excess of 10 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae is also denied.,Individual unemployability due to service-connected PTSD is granted.

Service connection for tinnitus, pes planus, and sinusitis is denied.,An earlier effective date of December 15, 2015 for service connection of pseudofolliculitis barbae is denied. Service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder from February 6, 2012 to October 1, 2015 is granted at a 70 percent evaluation and an evaluation in excess of 70 percent after January 1, 2016 is denied. An evaluation in excess of 10 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae is also denied.,Individual unemployability due to service-connected PTSD is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches. The remaining issues of service connection have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his left and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were denied. The case was remanded for further action on the issue of service connection for a bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's claim of increased ratings for bilateral pes planus is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board had jurisdiction of the issue of TDIU at the time of its November 2015 decision that denied an increased rating for bilateral pes planus with calluses. The Veteran's unemployability was reasonably raised by the record in the context of his increased rating claim, and the case is now remanded to consider TDIU as an element of the July 2009 increased rating claim.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right ankle disabilities, lumbar spine disability, knee disabilities, hip disabilities, foot disabilities, diabetic retinopathy, shoulder disabilities, cervical spine disability, heart disorder, and psychiatric disorders. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of any of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for post-operative left foot pes planus, and the Board has dismissed this issue.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from February 4, 2015 to February 18, 2015 was granted as the treatment provided during this period was in response to a medical emergency.,The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from February 19, 2015 to August 17, 2015 was denied because the care provided did not meet the criteria for an emergency situation.