Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2023

The Board denied service connection for flat feet, right knee disability (including as secondary to service-connected left knee osteoarthritis), and back disability due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and service.,Service connection was not granted because the Veteran's current disabilities are not shown to have originated during service or be related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability. The claims for right foot, left shoulder, lower back, and left foot conditions are remanded as there is insufficient evaluation in the record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, including missing STRs.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature of his service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for cold weather injury residuals of the bilateral hands is denied.,Compensable initial ratings for right and left shin splints are denied.,Service connection for residuals of an injury to the tailbone, neck disability, left shoulder disability, back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right foot plantar fasciitis, insomnia, and vertigo is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for pes planus and thoracic spine service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding whether these conditions were aggravated by service or related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of left wrist disability and service connection for bilateral pes planus are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a cervical spine disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and sleep disorder due to outstanding private treatment records and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for GERD, hypertension, skin condition, sleep apnea, nosebleeds, right wrist condition, and left hip condition due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran contends that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's bilateral foot disability. The Veteran needs to be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current diagnoses, including pes planus, are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis and remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for arthritis of the left knee and right knee.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral foot disability, including pes planus, finding that it is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on these issues have been dismissed as the claims were withdrawn by his representative.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome is granted as secondary to his service-connected left foot plantar fasciitis with pes planus. A 30 percent rating, and no higher, for left foot disability from March 15, 2022 forward, is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, low back disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot, hearing loss, and left knee disabilities were not incurred during service. The low back disability was found to be related to service. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial rating assigned for her service-connected left shoulder disability is remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The right elbow and bilateral plantar fasciitis appeals are also remanded, as well as the cystic acne with scarring appeal which requires a retrospective opinion.,The TDIU appeal is also remanded due to insufficient development of evidence regarding employment in a protected environment.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records from September 22, 2021, to the present.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

Service connection for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, right knee strain, neck impairment, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and erectile dysfunction has been granted.,Service connection for back impairment, left knee impairment, right knee impairment, and psychiatric impairment has also been granted.