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

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disability, skin disability, and hearing loss disability due to outstanding VA records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities are remanded to obtain additional VA and private treatment records, including those from November 2018 to the present. The Veteran will also undergo a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence supports a finding that the Veteran has current bilateral tinnitus and that it is related to his in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip radiculopathy is denied. The Board finds that there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hip radiculopathy, and therefore cannot grant service connection.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability is remanded. Further investigation into the Veteran's in-service injury and any relevant medical records are needed to determine if his current symptoms are related to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower left leg disability is remanded. The Board finds that further examination and testing, including nerve conduction studies, are necessary to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine and any diagnosed lower left leg disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to deficiencies in the VA audiological examination report and conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of his back disorder, right pes planus, left pes planus, and allergic sinus disorder.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for residual scar status postsurgery associated with service-connected bilateral pes planus was granted effective from April 6, 2019. The Veteran now receives a 20% rating for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran's pre-existing flat feet condition was permanently aggravated by her military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist condition, plantar fasciitis, right ankle condition, and tinnitus as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and the need for VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease is no longer being appealed for an increased rating.,A higher initial rating of 40 percent has been granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy.,Service connection for residuals of a nose injury and sinusitis (secondary to allergic rhinitis) have been reopened, but not yet established as service-connected.,Service connection for residuals of a right pinkie finger injury has been reopened, but not yet established as service-connected. Service connection for sinusitis (secondary to allergic rhinitis) has also been reopened and is presumed based on the secondary relationship to service-connected allergic rhinitis.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis has been granted, with sinusitis being granted as secondary to allergic rhinitis.,The Veteran's right pinkie finger injury residuals are not yet established as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of recent VA examination and the Veteran's assertion of worsening symptoms. A new examination is needed to assess the current severity of the right foot disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's disabilities, particularly Raynaud’s disease and peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, as his combined schedular disability rating is at least 60 percent from September 30, 2011. The Board finds that the weight of evidence does not support a finding of unemployability due to these conditions.

The Veteran's shin splints are granted a 10 percent rating, but no higher. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the specific conditions remain unresolved.,Service connection has not yet been established for all of the claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, with the condition having onset during active service.,Service connection for a left elbow condition is denied.,Lumbar spine multi-level degenerative disc disease and right elbow lateral epicondylitis status post tendon repair are remanded due to unclear periods of service.,Plantar fasciitis and hypogonadism/low testosterone are also remanded, with the same issue regarding unclear periods of service.,Service connection for hypothyroidism is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for a tracheal windpipe condition is denied due to lack of evidence of such condition during or recent to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the denial of service connection for a bilateral foot disability before the Board could make a decision.