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

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to PTSD, has been granted. The effective date for the increased ratings of GERD and pes planus is denied.,The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for the increased ratings of GERD and pes planus are denied as there is no factually ascertainable increase in disability within one year prior to March 22, 2017.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his right scrotal cyst is remanded. The Veteran claims that the condition has worsened since his last VA examination in 2017.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea (secondary to PTSD) and erectile dysfunction (secondary to service-connected right scrotal cyst) are both remanded. The Veteran claims these conditions may be related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD, an eye disability, hearing loss in the right ear, cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, left foot disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The remand requires additional development to address the claims.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder is granted, and he is assigned a 70 percent disability rating. The issues of service connection for bilateral foot bone spurs, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA examination reports and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral pes cavus, right wrist joint pain tendonitis, acquired deformity of unequal leg length (secondary to service connected left hip trochanteris pain syndrome), right leg sciatica (secondary to service connected lumbosacral strain), and bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis have been remanded due to incomplete examinations.,Incomplete VA examinations were conducted for the Veteran's claims, necessitating further evaluations.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to his service-connected lumbar spine conditions, including left foot conditions. The Board has determined that these claims are remanded due to the need for further development and clarification of evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a reduction in his disability rating from 50% to 30% for bilateral foot disability was granted. The effective date of the reduction is June 1, 2017.

The Veteran's left foot disability, right foot disability, acquired psychiatric disability, COPD, GERD, left knee disability, and right knee disability are all granted as service-connected. The OSA claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and the reopening of service connection claims for gastrointestinal disability (GERD) due to in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The other issues are related to service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disability and bilateral pes planus due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiners' opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service.

The Veteran's plantar warts and callouses of the feet have been granted a disability evaluation of 20 percent, effective November 30, 2012. The Veteran has also been granted TDIU from April 4, 2013.

The Board has denied service connection for right hip, right knee, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral bunion disabilities due to lack of evidence showing in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection claims, including those related to pes planus, left wrist disorder (including CUE in a prior rating decision), bilateral knee disabilities, and asthma. The Board dismissed the cases as a result.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, finding that his preexisting condition clearly and unmistakably did not increase in severity during or as a result of active duty service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral feet, and ankles have been granted.,Service connection has also been established for major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus has been rated at 30 percent, and a higher rating is denied.,PTSD prior to December 13, 2021 was rated at 30 percent, and a higher rating is denied. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms are now rated at 50 percent beginning from December 13, 2021.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral lower extremity neuropathy and bilateral foot disability due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's representative argues that these conditions are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's somatic symptoms disorder with depression and anxiety, right ear hearing loss, bilateral shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, bilateral knee degenerative arthritis and chondromalacia, bilateral ankle strain, and left foot condition (various diagnoses) have all been granted service connection.,An initial compensable rating for a post appendectomy scar has not been met.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and inextricability of issues. The TDIU claim is being deferred until all other pending claims are adjudicated.