Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2021

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with its July 2020 remand directives and thus another remand is necessary to provide a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right claw foot.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from January 25, 2008 to May 24, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and other disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU from February 13, 2018. Additionally, his single service-connected disability rated at 100 percent (PTSD) combined with additional disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more qualify him for SMC under specific VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for calcaneal spur, left foot and ankle; disabilities of the feet to include plantar fasciitis and bilateral pes planus; diabetes mellitus, Type II; TBI; and psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The issues are related to service connection.

The Board has ordered a remand due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral pes planus, specifically whether it was aggravated during service and if so, by what degree.

The Board has granted service connection for pes planus and plantar fasciitis of the bilateral feet, finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his spine condition as secondary to his left foot condition due to lack of competent medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left and right foot disabilities due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are being reopened, but further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral pes cavus and plantar fasciitis with degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence in the record. The Board requires an addendum VA medical opinion to differentiate symptoms attributable to service-connected disabilities from those of nonservice-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability is being remanded due to the discovery of relevant, official service department records that existed and had not been associated with his claims file at the time of prior decisions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for his service-connected right foot disability and surgical scars due to inadequate examination in September 2016.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, including metatarsalgia and plantar fasciitis, is granted as service-connected. The back and neck disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral spine disability, right foot disability (pes planus), and left foot disability (pes planus) due to incomplete evaluations from VA. The Veteran is directed to be scheduled for further examinations by VA to determine the nature of his disabilities and their relationship to active service.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to various conditions, with some granted and others denied. The decision is mixed as it addresses both granted and denied claims.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral pes planus, back disability, and skin disability (eczema).,Further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's initial rating appeals for left and right knee sprains, painful extension, and instability were denied. The Veteran's prostate disorder, kidney disorder, and foot disability claims are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis, pes cavus, calcaneal spurs, and metatarsalgia with right metatarsophalangeal degenerative foot arthritis was not manifested by marked contraction of plantar fascia with dropped forefoot or pronounced flatfoot with marked pronation, severe spasm of the Achilles tendon on manipulation. As such, his disability is rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating prior to March 23, 2016, for plantar callus and bone spur of the left foot was denied. The Board found that during this period, the Veteran did not have symptoms of moderate severity.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral pes planus prior to June 1, 2018, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter, entitlement to an initial compensable rating for right hammer toes, entitlement to an initial compensable rating for left hammer toes, and entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus and bilateral eye disability to obtain additional medical opinions. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are also being considered.