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

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding various disabilities, including ratings for knee and elbow conditions, pes planus, hearing loss, and scars. The Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.,The Board has remanded several issues including: Degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, Left ankle peroneal tendonitis, Right ankle disability, Left foot disability (to include hammer toes and arthritis), Right foot disability (to include hammer toes and arthritis), and Skin disorder (other than eczema, to include basal cell carcinoma).

The VA reduced the Veteran's disability rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis from 50 percent to 30 percent effective May 1, 2016. The Board found that this reduction was improper and restored the original 50 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus and obstructive sleep apnea should be remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's appeal of the rating for bilateral pes planus is dismissed. The service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction on a secondary basis are both remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of his back disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and sleep apnea syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions did not worsen during service or were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for plantar fasciitis and neck problems is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination. The claim will be reconsidered based on all evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied.,Effective July 14, 2012, the Veteran was granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, reflux esophagitis, lumbar spine disability with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, right foot plantar fasciitis, limitation of right knee flexion, limitation of right knee extension, and right knee scars. The effective dates for these conditions have not been changed.

The Board denied the petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus because new and material evidence was not received, as the condition existed prior to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on multiple service-connected conditions have been withdrawn and are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date and a higher initial disability rating for service-connected bilateral pes planus is denied. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and new examinations.

The Veteran's initial increased evaluation for bilateral pes planus is granted, with a rating of 30 percent. The left foot hallux valgus remains at the maximum schedular evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected thoracolumbar spine strain is granted, subject to the rules and regulations governing the payment of VA monetary benefits. The claims for service connection for various conditions are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that there was no evidence of chronic disability resulting from an injury or disease during active duty. The Board also found that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral foot disability, but remanded for further development and examination. The claims of service connection for hypertension and psychiatric disability are also remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting additional examinations. The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability (PTSD), lumbar spine disability, renal calculi, right foot disability, left forefoot and ankle disability, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all at issue.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits, finding that the Veteran did not have a total disability that was permanent in nature prior to the grant of TDIU on April 14, 2016.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left foot disability may be related to his service-connected right knee disability, but needs further clarification on whether this aggravates the left foot condition.