Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral flat feet and foot problems due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of documented treatment during service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including erectile dysfunction, dizziness (manifested by BPPV), right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, and headache.,No specific rating was assigned, nor is there an effective date provided in this decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD, visual complications of diabetes, aortic stenosis (claimed as heart disability), dermatitis psoriasis (claimed as bilateral foot disability), and TDIU due to procedural issues. The VA examiner is requested to provide an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's COPD was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The effective date for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and scars associated with it remains at March 14, 2017.,The Veteran's bilateral ankle disability and left knee disability are remanded due to the need for VA examinations.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is remanded as there needs to be a new opinion regarding whether his condition worsened during service.

The Veteran's hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The cases for pes planus, peripheral neuropathy in all four extremities, and a psychiatric disability (including PTSD) are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus did not worsen during service and was not aggravated by any in-service event, injury or illness. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus and ankle disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further evaluation due to procedural issues and lack of compliance with prior instructions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and lung disability due to inadequate examinations that did not properly consider the Veteran's lay statements. The Veteran was stationed aboard a submarine where he may have been exposed to asbestos, which could be related to his lung disability.

The Board denied service connection for a disability manifested by a cough, diagnosed as chronic bronchitis, and for a bilateral foot disability. The Veteran's current conditions are attributed to GERD, post-nasal drip, smoking, and diabetes mellitus.,Service connection was not granted because the preponderance of evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current conditions and his service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and arthritis of the bilateral foot, finding no evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD and chronic bronchitis, was denied. The Veteran's CAD received an initial rating of 60 percent effective June 21, 2010. The Veteran's left foot disability remains in dispute.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are sufficient for SMC based on need for regular A&A. The VA is instructed to schedule a VA SMC A&A/Housebound examination to determine if the Veteran requires assistance with ADLs.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating and earlier effective date for her right foot disability and right knee scar disability are denied. The Board found that the Veteran is already in receipt of the maximum schedular ratings available under Diagnostic Code 5281, which pertains to hallux rigidus.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of sleep apnea due to withdrawal. The remaining issues have been remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of several service-connected conditions, including recurrent leg and sleep disabilities. The Board also notes that the combined rating for all service-connected disabilities has not yet reached a level sufficient to warrant a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right foot disabilities, as well as an acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for sinus disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and knee disabilities. The Board also directed further VA examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and foot conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability and left knee disability are granted as service connected. The Board found that the evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's disabilities had their onset during service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral foot disability, including pes planus and plantar fasciitis, was aggravated by service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.