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

The Veteran withdrew their appeals regarding service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis, right foot plantar fasciitis, and migraine headaches.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded all other claims due to incomplete or insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her helpless as to need regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting SMC based on aid and attendance from April 21, 2021.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as she meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU based on all her service-connected disabilities, which include a lumbar spine disability rated at 40 percent and other conditions. The effective date will be determined by the AOJ.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left foot disability, finding that there is no nexus between his in-service injury and his current condition.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including right foot plantar fasciitis, cervical and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, right knee meniscal tear, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the RO for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple other conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. Effective March 10, 2021, the Veteran is granted a TDIU rating of 100%.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, and the issues of entitlement to service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities have been remanded. The claims for soft tissue sarcomas and thyroid disorder are also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition began during his active duty and is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of clarity in the record regarding whether VA attempted to reschedule an examination when the Veteran was available. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to schedule the Veteran for a new VA examination to determine if his plantar fasciitis had its onset during service or is otherwise related to such service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left foot, brain tumor, and penile disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The claims are being remanded for additional development including obtaining VA opinions on etiology.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims related to his right ankle, bilateral knee pain, plantar warts, migraine headaches, spinal stenosis, a bilateral elbow condition, ulcerative colitis, and sleep apnea. The VA will need to obtain any relevant private treatment records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for ratings greater than 10 percent for left and right ankle disabilities, as well as a compensable rating for left hand dermatitis due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting opinions and a need for further development regarding the Veteran's right foot pes planus.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and pes planus resulted in pain, swelling, calluses, and deformity of the feet. The Board denied a higher rating for this condition from September 1, 2016 to March 6, 2023.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including left eye conjunctivitis, left foot disability, right foot disability, right hip disability, and right shoulder disability have been denied as there is no evidence showing a current disability or relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and service connection have been granted. The reduction of the disability evaluation for instability of the right and left knees has been reversed, restoring the original ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right plantar calcaneal spurs with osteoporosis (claimed as residuals, pain in right foot and nerve damage) is being remanded due to a pre-decisional error regarding the lack of a VA examination related to his account of an injury during basic training.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis with plantar spur formation and pes planus was denied as the evidence did not show objective evidence of marked deformity, which is required to warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for eczema, bilateral foot condition, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were related to the Veteran's active duty.,There was no documentation of any skin condition, feet issue, or neck problem in the Veteran's service records.