Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of recent treatment records and requests for updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is granted as service-connected.,An initial disability rating of 10 percent for urinary incontinence prior to November 14, 2017 is granted. A higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable evaluation for plantar warts and service connection for acid reflux as secondary to headaches have been dismissed.,Her appeal for service connection for sleep apnea, which is now considered secondary to her service-connected restrictive airway disease (RAD), has also been denied. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before a decision can be made on this issue.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus, denied separate compensable ratings for hallux valgus and hammertoes, and found no need for an extraschedular rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU are being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), low back disability, right knee and left knee disabilities, right foot pes planus, left foot pes planus, right foot plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis are all granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been remanded due to the need for additional medical records, including VA treatment records and SSA records. The issue of dental disability has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is rated at 30 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating as there was no evidence of pronounced foot disability with marked pronation, extreme tenderness, or severe spasm.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral heel and foot disabilities, finding that they are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus has been rated at 50 percent for the entire appeal period, reflecting severe end-stage mid-foot collapse with marked pronation and inward displacement affecting the alignment of the knees.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral foot disorder, including left shoulder, low back, hip, and knee disorders, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea. The issues also include TDIU.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities, while the service connection for residuals of frostbite is denied.

The Veteran's initial 30 percent rating for plantar fasciitis, left foot is granted. The issue of an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for the same condition and service connection for plantar fasciitis, right foot are both remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete service records and the need for further medical examinations. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back disorder, a bilateral foot disorder, a right inguinal hernia, diverticulitis, and hemorrhoids.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral pes planus was aggravated during service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left foot degenerative joint disease with plantar fasciitis was not manifested by objective evidence of limitation of motion or a moderate foot injury prior to May 23, 2016. From May 23, 2016 to January 29, 2018, the Veteran's left foot degenerative joint disease with plantar fasciitis did not more nearly approximate a moderately severe foot injury warranting a rating in excess of 10 percent. Since January 30, 2018, the Veteran's left foot degenerative joint disease with plantar fasciitis has been manifested by evidence of a moderately severe foot injury but not a severe foot injury warranting a higher than 20 percent rating.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not manifested by greater than Level VII hearing and warrants a noncompensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left lower extremity varicose veins warrant a 60 percent rating, but not higher. The issues of service connection for left foot and left leg nerve disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral foot plantar fibromatosis is rated at 30 percent for the entire appeal period, effective from November 19, 2008 to January 21, 2016. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for a painful right foot scar.

The Veteran's service-connected back and bilateral lower extremity disabilities render him in need of the daily care of another, as he requires assistance with ambulation, homemaking activities, and personal hygiene due to his physical incapacity.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral pes planus, talonavicular joint collapse, and bilateral knee disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.