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

The Veteran's service connection claim for plantar fasciitis is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of plantar fasciitis related to his military service, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for hypertension (HTN) and cardiovascular disease, to include HTN. The claims of service connection for musculoskeletal disorder, plantar fasciitis, deviated nasal septum, and compensable rating for sinusitis are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, flat feet with inflammation, a right wrist condition, carpal tunnel syndrome, and sleep apnea. The case is being returned to VA for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for right foot and left foot disabilities, as well as a psychiatric disorder including PTSD. The remaining issues of service connection for liver disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and right shoulder disability are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and right foot disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities were not incurred in or related to his military service.,Specifically, the Board determined that there was no direct evidence of a back injury during service and found insufficient medical opinion supporting secondary service connection due to his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right foot disability due to incomplete compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for further medical examinations. The issues include flat feet, neuropathy of the lower extremities, knee disabilities, neck disability, and back disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right foot pes planus, finding that his preexisting condition did not worsen during or after service and was not caused by any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to December 13, 2012 is remanded due to inadequate development and compliance with previous Board directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for an additional left foot disability, finding that there was no additional disability and insufficient evidence of VA fault.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a compensable disability rating for bilateral pes planus, finding that there was no factual basis to support such a date and that VA treatment records did not document receipt of an informal claim.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to incomplete medical records, and the Veteran is asked to provide necessary release forms for VA to obtain these records.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, low back sprain, and bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all of his pending claims, including those related to plantar fasciitis, radiculopathy, headaches, and anxiety disorder. The Board dismissed these claims as a result.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left upper extremity disability to include residuals of frostbite claimed as peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for pes planus is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The issues of service connection for various foot, knee, cervical spine, shoulder disabilities are being remanded for further examination and analysis.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability, but the issue of foot cramping is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral foot condition, prior to August 24, 2015, is rated at 20 percent and denied an increased rating.,From August 24, 2015, the Veteran's disability is rated at 50 percent and denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's residuals of fracture of left fibula are granted a compensable rating.,The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is not entitled to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent from January 12, 2009 until August 22, 2016.,From August 22, 2016, the Veteran's disability is rated at 40 percent and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is not entitled to a rating in excess of 40 percent from October 3, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for left foot, left hip, and back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, the claim is still pending as further examination is needed to determine if the condition was aggravated by service or if it began during service.