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

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has decided that service connection for plantar fasciitis of the left foot is granted, but has remanded the issue of service connection for a right foot disability.

The Veteran's IBS is granted as a presumptive service connection due to a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI). The RO will need to provide an examination and obtain an opinion regarding the bilateral pes planus, diabetes mellitus, eye disability, and right ankle condition.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus, diabetes mellitus, any eye disability, and right ankle condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence. Additional examinations are needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to failure of the Veteran to appear for VA examinations and provide additional information. The Veteran is homeless, which may constitute good cause for missing the examinations.

The Board denied service connection for left and right foot disabilities as there is no evidence of any injury or disease during active service, and the current conditions are not related to service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, due to her unemployability as a result of her service-connected disabilities, the case is being remanded to determine if she is entitled to an extraschedular TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Veteran's left hand condition and bilateral plantar keratosis claims are both remanded for further development.,A new claim to reopen service connection for manic depressive illness and bipolar disorder is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination and medical opinion to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right arm, ankle, and foot disabilities. The issues are related to service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The issues of right foot, left foot, lumbar spine, arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis), respiratory disability (including asthma, fainting spells, and chronic cough), pulmonary embolism, and lupus are all being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot cold injury residuals, left foot cold injury residuals, and bilateral plantar fasciitis and calcaneal spurs (other than cold injury residuals). The Board found no current disability in these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral pes planus with arthritis, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, headaches, multiple sclerosis (MS), ischemic heart disease (IHD), and prostate disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or in-service exposure.

The Veteran's vertigo is granted as service-connected. An initial compensable rating for the abdominal scar is denied, but a separate 10 percent rating for painful scar as of February 8, 2022, is granted. Service connection for dyspnea (claimed as asthma), right shoulder condition, bilateral pes planus, left knee condition, and right ankle condition are all remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of her conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for depression, bilateral pes planus (claimed as bilateral feet), and low back disorder due to insufficient evidence in some cases. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to the lack of current diagnoses.,The Board has also remanded claims for bilateral hearing loss, skin disability, left shoulder disability, and right foot disability as there is insufficient evidence addressing their etiology.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral pes planus should be remanded due to incomplete service records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, pes planus of the left foot, pes planus of the right foot, chronic bronchitis, and low back disability. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during or are otherwise related to active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and arranging a VA examination to assess his ability to engage in activities of daily living due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for weight gain, adjustment disorder, OSA, lymphogranulomatosis, plantar fasciitis, and cervical spine disability were denied. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for voiding dysfunction and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ remain unchanged.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and remanded the issue of an initial disability rating for lumbosacral strain.