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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee, right shoulder, pes planus, and vision problems due to a lack of authorization from the Veteran for his private medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and unspecified trauma disorder due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's lower back condition is rated as 20 percent disabling from January 1, 2004 and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of STRs and possible relationship between current conditions and active duty.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and clarification, including service connection claims for various disabilities. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has withdrawn the appeals for pes planus and hernia. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including insomnia, is reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for entitlement to service connection for sexually transmitted disease without prejudice. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left knee, right hip, left hip, left foot, and back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus as the Veteran's condition existed prior to service and did not permanently increase in severity during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left foot disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between his current left foot condition and any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim for lower jaw disability was denied. The claims of depression, bilateral ankle disability, low back disability, and left foot disability were granted.,New evidence received after the last final denial did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to reopen the claim for lower jaw disability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis should be remanded due to insufficient evidence in the September 2015 VA examination report.

The petition to reopen the claim for service connection for a left ankle condition is granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the claims for tinnitus and flat feet are remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, right elbow degenerative joint disease, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease have been granted initial disability ratings. The GERD has also been granted a higher initial disability rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for left and right foot hallux valgus, as well as his claim for service connection for bilateral foot arthritis. The issues will be returned to the Board after issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right foot, and left foot disabilities due to insufficient evidence in their current state. A new examination is needed to evaluate these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating issues have been withdrawn. The Board has determined that the Veteran wishes to withdraw her appeal regarding scoliosis and whether the disability rating assigned for GERD was clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The remaining issues, including those related to eczema, cervical strain/cervical radiculopathy, migraines, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, right foot plantar fasciitis/residuals of bunionectomy, and other conditions, are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted an initial 50 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus, finding that his symptoms are not improved by wearing orthotics on each of his feet.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral plantar fasciitis due to potential etiological links to in-service noise exposure and running-related injuries.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and right hip condition, as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The effective date of the TDIU claim remains on appeal.