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

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination opinion. The Veteran sustained injuries in a motor vehicle accident during service, and the examiner should provide an addendum opinion on whether the current right foot disability is related to these in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about whether a new examination was conducted considering the Veteran's report of worsened foot condition after an earlier examination.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his bilateral pes planus, left shoulder impingement syndrome, right shoulder rotator cuff repair and biceps tendon repair, and left knee degenerative joint disease with meniscal tear.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and dismissed the issue of service connection for a left foot disability. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was found to have been aggravated by his active-duty service, and thus granted service connection.,The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability under VA regulations, so service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to the Veteran not reporting for scheduled VA examinations. The appeals for service connection for right hand disability, dental disability (including loss of teeth), and right foot disability are all pending.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection. Claims for Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, right foot hallux valgus and plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis were denied. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral flat feet with plantar fasciitis and bilateral thigh disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since April 5, 2018. The Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from that date.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis and degenerative arthritis, as well as PTSD with antisocial personality disorder with cocaine use disorder in sustained remission and alcohol use disorder in sustained remission, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot disability, including pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and arthritis, is causally related to his active service. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, stomach fibroid, right foot disability, left foot disability, and obstructive sleep apnea. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for generalized anxiety disorder and TDIU are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion to address the appellant's service connection claims for right and left foot disabilities. The appellant withdrew his claim of achilles tightness, to include calf and thigh pain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy (left hip), left hip disability, left ankle disability, and left foot disability are all granted. The claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board has determined that additional development is required, including VA examinations and a review of her medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU, finding that her service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance, but she is eligible for a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pes planus and tinnitus have been granted. The Veteran's bilateral hand disability, hip disability, lumbar spine disability, and left toe disability are pending further review.

The Board has found that further development is required due to insufficient examination reports, and the case is being remanded for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right foot pes planus is granted, and the Board has remanded the issue of service connection for right foot arthritis.

The Board has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a service connection for either the cervical spine disability or the right foot disability, as both conditions are deemed to be unrelated to service.