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

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left foot disabilities, finding that they are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not manifested functional impairment equivalent to a compensable rating at any time during the appeal period.,The Veteran's left knee disability has not manifested functional impairment equivalent to flexion limited to 30 degrees or any other impairment to warrant higher or separate ratings during the appeal period.,The Veteran's right knee disability has not manifested functional impairment equivalent to flexion limited to 30 degrees or any other impairment to warrant higher or separate ratings during the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left foot disability is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's prostate disability is not service connected, and the right foot disability issue needs to be remanded for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder tendonitis, left shoulder tendonitis, left elbow epicondylitis, right foot plantar fasciitis, and right wrist tendosynovitis. Service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is also granted. The claim for erectile dysfunction (ED) was denied.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, right ankle disability, bilateral foot disabilities, and upper respiratory disability (to include bronchitis) due to lack of a current diagnosis or functional impairment. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various knee, hand, hip, and foot disabilities as the evidence did not show they began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for anxiety, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and erectile dysfunction (ED) as due to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disorder. Service connection is remanded for asthma, right knee tendonitis and patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee tendonitis and patellofemoral pain syndrome, migraines, and a bilateral foot disorder.

The Veteran's heart disorders, including nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and mild tricuspid insufficiency, are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or for many years after. The Board finds that the Veteran's current heart conditions are not related to his military service.,The Veteran's bilateral foot disorders, including pes planus, plantar fibroma, sinus tarsi syndrome, and tinea pedis, are also not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or for many years after. The Board finds that the Veteran's current foot conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right ankle/foot disabilities, but the case is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss disability had its onset during or is otherwise related to his active service.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, including Morton's neuroma, is granted as service-connected. The issue of service connection for a bilateral ankle disability, including tarsal tunnel syndrome, is remanded.

The Veteran is seeking additional retroactive VA disability compensation benefits under the CRSC program for the period from December 2011 to April 2015, and he also wants to know if it was proper to withhold his VA disability compensation benefits due to a retired pay adjustment. The Board has ordered further action to review these issues.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral flat feet do not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent. The low back disability is being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, chest pain, a back injury, nerve damage, a head injury, anxiety, headaches, and foot pain (plantar fasciitis) due to procedural errors in the appeal process.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, bone spurs with heel pain, Achilles and peroneal tendinitis, and Morton's neuroma. The GERD claim is remanded.,The Veteran's current foot disabilities are related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's application for TDIU prior to July 21, 2016 was denied due to lack of qualifying disability ratings. The Board has referred the matter to the Director of Compensation Services for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back and left foot disabilities have been reopened, but the cases are still pending as they need further examination to determine if there is a link between their current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, left knee, and right inguinal hernia disabilities have been granted service connection.,Service connection for a bilateral foot disability, skin condition (claimed as dermatitis), and lung or respiratory condition (claimed as bronchitis) is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was denied. The Board found that there is no current TBI and the lay reports were not competent to establish the existence of a current disability. For the issue of total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 14, 2015, the Veteran's combined schedular disability rating did not meet the minimum requirements for consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The Board found that the Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to September 14, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current foot disabilities are related to service, specifically his pre-existing pes planus. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on this matter.