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

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus has been granted service connection and is rated as a separate disability.,Service connection for hypertension with chronic kidney disease was granted, but the Veteran's initial rating of 60% remains unchanged.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased rating claims regarding right wrist, right hand (including arthritis), left foot, right foot, and headache disabilities. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral pes planus is granted. The claim for an initial increased rating in excess of 10 percent for pleural plaque due to asbestos exposure is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to potential missing SSA records that may contain relevant information for his disability benefits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities, particularly headaches and left shoulder disability. The Veteran is presumed sound at entry into service, so any preexisting conditions must be shown to have been aggravated by service or not clearly and unmistakably exist prior to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current foot conditions and her service or ACDUTRA service. Additional development is needed, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion by a different clinician.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities.,The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain a current examination for cervical radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip disabilities, right and left foot disabilities, and rheumatoid arthritis due to potential issues with the medical opinions provided. The claims are being returned for additional evaluations.

The Veteran's claim for a left knee condition has been remanded. Service connection for tinnitus and sinusitis is granted based on presumptive exposure under the PACT Act. The Veteran's claim for rhinitis was denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of this condition. Service connection for OSA, secondary to PTSD, and bilateral plantar fasciitis, secondary to service-connected PTSD, are granted.,The Veteran's left knee condition is pending and will be remanded. The Veteran has established service connection for tinnitus and sinusitis based on presumptive exposure under the PACT Act. Service connection for rhinitis was denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of this condition. Service connection for OSA, secondary to PTSD, and bilateral plantar fasciitis, secondary to service-connected PTSD, are granted.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the issue of rating a left fifth toe disability. The decision is final on the merits.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral foot disability is dismissed. The claims of service connection for skin and gastrointestinal disabilities, claimed as GERD, are denied. The claim to reopen the service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral foot disabilities due to inadequate opinions in the September 2020 VA examination report. The diabetes claim is denied as there is no evidence of its onset during or within one year after service.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the previous remand directives and requires further development for the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle, right knee, and right foot disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was granted a disability rating of 30 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The Board dismissed all other issues as they were withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, left knee, right foot, and left foot disabilities as they are related to his military service.,Service connection was denied for the Veteran's right eye and left eye disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 29, 2019 for the award of service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis was denied as there is no earlier unadjudicated claim associated with his intent to file a claim on May 9, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) during the period on appeal. The Board has identified a duty to assist error and must refer the matter to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's pes planus disability, rated at 50 percent, is denied as the symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under VA's General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted. The back disability is now considered to be incurred in service, while the bilateral foot and knee disabilities are secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's cervical spine, left knee, right hand, bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and left hip disabilities were not found to be related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition. The right ankle disability was denied as the rating did not meet criteria for ankylosis.