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

The Veteran withdrew all remaining issues associated with the appeal before a decision was made, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to January 6, 2020 due to service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim is being referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for IBS was granted. The claims for left and right foot disabilities were denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for left foot arthritis, left foot disorder, headaches, and kidney disorder due to insufficient medical opinions in the record. The Veteran is to be afforded VA examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left leg, ankle, and foot disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an error in obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right foot disability is related to service. The VA will need to obtain this opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand instructions and a need for an addendum VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral foot conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including chronic foot disability, bilateral elbow disabilities, hypertension, respiratory disorder (asthma, chronic bronchitis, or COPD), right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's left foot disability, finding that it causes severe functional impairment and would be most properly contemplated by a loss of use of the left foot.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient clarification of whether the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder is a congenital or developmental defect, and if so, whether it was aggravated by service. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic liver disease and remanded the issues of service connection for a left foot disability and right hip disability, to include as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for blood blisters on the feet is denied as she does not have a current disability manifesting in such condition.,Service connection for a disability resulting from exposure to mycobacterium tuberculosis is also denied because there is no evidence of active tuberculosis and the Veteran has never been diagnosed with such condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and because the issues are inextricably intertwined with his claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral pes planus from March 1, 2014 is denied as the condition does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Codes 5276 or 5284.

The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance based on the use of a prosthetic device for 2013 is being remanded due to incomplete records and need for further development.

The Board has determined that additional VA treatment records are needed for the remaining claims, and a new VA medical opinion is required to address whether preexisting scoliosis was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus disability has been rated as 50 percent disabling since September 12, 2019. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and bilateral pes planus was granted, with an effective date set at December 2, 2003.

The Veteran's 50% rating for bilateral pes planus is restored effective October 1, 2019. A higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have effectively resulted in the permanent loss of use of her bilateral lower extremities, requiring her to use a cane for ambulation. The Board has granted specially adapted housing benefits based on this finding.