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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by his active-duty service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his low back, neck, left shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for degenerative arthritis of the right hand and a right foot disability, including pes planus. The VA examinations are inadequate, and additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 25, 2018 for a 50 percent rating for plantar fasciitis with pes planus and metatarsalgia is denied. The earliest possible effective date would be July 28, 2017 if it was factually ascertainable that the criteria for a 50 percent rating were met in the year before her claim.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion provided are incomplete, as they did not fully consider the Veteran's lay reports of onset in service, symptomatology since service, or address whether any foot disability preexisted entrance to active service. The matter is therefore remanded for further action.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral pes planus is granted, and the claim for asthma is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for dermatophytosis tinea pedis and plantar warts were denied as the evidence did not show that the conditions warranted a rating in excess of 0 percent.,Both pre- and post-August 2018 rating criteria require at least 5% of the entire body or exposed areas affected, but neither condition met this requirement.

The Veteran's right foot disability is granted, and the left foot disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for left plantar fascial fibromatosis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service. The decision also grants service connection for right foot plantar fascial fibromatosis.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral plantar fasciitis, as his military personnel records from his Texas Army National Guard service are missing. The case is being remanded to obtain these records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, and the appeal is remanded due to inadequate negative nexus opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment during the period from September 22, 2009, to prior to December 16, 2017. Therefore, entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is granted for this period.

The Board has denied service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the issues of service connection for joint pain, muscle pain, bilateral foot disability (metatarsalgia and pes planus), and dermatitis due to presumed exposure to burn pits during service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been rated at 70 percent since June 17, 2021. The Board finds the Veteran's PTSD symptoms more nearly approximate the level of impairment contemplated by a 70 percent disability rating throughout the period on appeal. For his bilateral pes planus and right knee conditions, the ratings remain denied.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the appellant's withdrawal of her appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral pes planus, left foot hammer toes, and right foot hammer toes have all been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection as his conditions were either not present during service or not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis of both feet due to conflicting opinions and lack of a nexus opinion addressing whether his right ankle fracture aggravated his foot conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the appellant's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for lumbar spine disability and lower extremity radiculopathy.,No effective date is assigned as the claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's right foot disability, including achilles tendonitis, is not service-connected as it did not manifest during or within one year after her military service and there is no evidence of a link between the current condition and her active-duty service.