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

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability and a left knee disability, finding that these conditions were incurred in and due to the Veteran's time in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and migraine headache disorder to include as secondary to service-connected tinnitus.

The claim to service connection for a cholesterol disability is dismissed. The claims to service connection for bilateral knee, gout, back, and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy disabilities are denied. Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for heart disability is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for additional compensation for dependents, finding that the earliest applicable date was April 1, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is dismissed as moot because he has already been receiving a 100% rating for his service-connected bilateral progressive cone dystrophy and other disabilities, which qualifies him for special monthly compensation (SMC) under Section 1114(p). An award of TDIU would not provide the Veteran with additional SMC benefits.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including right knee and leg disabilities, hypertension, right foot disability, lower back disability, and right hip disability. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. The new evidence includes diagnoses of PTSD, major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, low back disorder, bilateral foot disorders (including flat feet and plantar fasciitis), and right hand disorders.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen several of the Veteran's previously denied claims, but did not grant service connection for any of them.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Veteran's hypertension, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, and right hip condition are not currently service connected.

The Veteran's service connection for a left ankle disability is granted. The Veteran's right shoulder DJD status post surgical repair of labral tear, right elbow lateral epicondylitis and tendonitis, and left elbow lateral epicondylitis and tendonitis are all rated at the maximum schedular rating available. Other conditions have been evaluated based on their severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, a back disability, and other conditions has been granted with an effective date of October 29, 2012. The appeal is denied for the remaining issues.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine arthritis with sciatica, left knee disability, and right foot disability as there was no evidence of a current disability or link to service.,There is no current diagnosis of a left knee or right foot disability.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus/bilateral plantar fasciitis, fracture left calcaneus status post repair with hardware and scar, left sural neuropathy, and chondromalacia patella, left knee have been remanded for further evaluation due to the possibility of increased symptoms since his last VA examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted, and a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied. Service connection for migraine headaches and chronic kidney disease are granted.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions. The claims are pending until further action is taken.

The Veteran was granted a 20 percent rating for superficial peroneal neuropathy of the right lower extremity from March 19, 2015. The Board found that his symptoms warranted this higher rating due to progressive worsening.,For the period from June 20, 2012 to September 18, 2013, a 10 percent rating was granted for superficial peroneal neuropathy of both feet.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's left foot disability and whether it is related to service or any other condition. The claim for hyperkeratosis of the plantar aspect of 3rd left toe remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's substantive appeal was not timely filed for his gastrointestinal disability, and has remanded the cases of his right and left foot disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical evidence regarding a left foot disability, and an addendum opinion is needed from an appropriate clinician.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed bilateral foot, right knee, neck, and back disabilities as there was no evidence of a current disability that was incurred in or due to his time in service.