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

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and examination.,The Veteran's claim for a back disorder secondary to bilateral pes planus is also remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding the nature and progression of his foot condition during service.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is also remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and examination.,The Veteran's claim for asbestosis is also remanded as there are outstanding VA treatment records that may be relevant to his case.,The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea is also remanded as there are outstanding VA treatment records that may be relevant to his case.,The Veteran's claim for a heart disorder is also remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and examination.,The Veteran's claim for hypertension is also remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and examination.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus is also remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and examination.,The Veteran's claim for stress fractures is also remanded as there are outstanding VA treatment records that may be relevant to his case.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's complete service treatment records and personnel records, as well as his VA treatment records from Las Vegas. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection of a lumbar spine disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and bilateral foot disability is granted. Service connection for diabetes mellitus remains denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various foot, knee, ankle, and hip disorders are granted as they are related to her active duty service.

The Veteran's ratings for lumbar spine disability and bilateral plantar fasciitis have been denied. The TDIU issue has been remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is being remanded for further evaluation due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its onset during service.

The Veteran's dental condition for compensation purposes is denied as there is no evidence of a compensable dental disability.,A separate 10 percent rating is granted for frequent UTIs related to service-connected testicular contusion, but the issue of higher ratings remains remanded due to lack of medical opinion on the relationship between current foot disabilities and service connection.,The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities are remanded as VA has not provided a medical examination or opinion regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's residuals from testicular contusion require a compensable rating, but the issue is also remanded due to lack of medical opinion on the relationship between current symptoms and service connection.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability was granted. However, the claim itself remains denied as there is no evidence that the condition began during or is otherwise related to active service.,Service connection for essential hypertension was denied because there is insufficient evidence showing a diagnosis within the presumptive period and no credible evidence indicating continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his obesity, which is a substantial factor in causing sleep apnea. The Veteran was asked to provide a copy of an article referenced by hyperlink in the April 2022 appeal brief.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right foot disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to provide VA treatment records, complete a VA Form 21-4142 for private treatment, and undergo VA examinations.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claims for service connection can be adjudicated. The Veteran's representative requested copies of examination reports and curriculum vitae, which need to be provided as per VA regulations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an ankle disability. The lung, low back, and foot disabilities are remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is granted service connection.,Compensable evaluations are needed for the Veteran's plantar fasciitis and right knee condition.,Service connection for a neck condition secondary to her thoracic spine condition is also requested.,Additional evidence or examination may be required to determine if these claims can be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and bilateral flat foot conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service physical training and service-connected thoracolumbar spine and radiculopathy conditions. As a result, the claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including left ear hearing loss, cardiac disability, cervical spine disability, hip disabilities, knee disabilities, ankle disabilities, and shoulder and foot disabilities. The decision is based on the lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was not granted for any of the claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in January 2022 were inadequate for purposes of adjudication and thus remanded these issues back to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable as of September 13, 2015. The Board has granted TDIU.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and right ankle strain were granted service connection.,A new issue of entitlement to service connection for a right quadriceps disorder was remanded.

The Veteran's pes planus of the left foot is granted as it is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.,There is no current diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5 criteria, and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has found that further action is needed to address the competency of a VA examiner who conducted examinations in March 2020. The Veteran's request for this information was not addressed, and thus the case is being remanded.