Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the adequacy of the VA examiner's opinion. The Veteran is required to undergo an examination to determine if her bilateral foot conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to address the severity of his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities, as well as for clarification on conflicting findings regarding ankylosis. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective June 6, 2018. The TDIU was determined due to the service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right CTS, and left CTS. Service connection was granted for a left foot disability.

The reduction from a 50 to 30 percent rating for bilateral foot disability was not proper, and the 50 percent rating is restored. The Veteran's appeal regarding lumbosacral strain remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, qualifying for TDIU. His obstructive sleep apnea requires the use of a CPAP machine but does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and intervertebral disc syndrome with spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis are granted as directly related to service. The right shoulder condition is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's preexisting bilateral pes planus, finding that it was aggravated by military service and resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's total combined rating reached 100 percent on September 21, 2020, which is the effective date for his basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The appeal is denied as the criteria for an earlier effective date are not met.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for increased ratings and TDIU related to bilateral pes planus with degenerative arthritis and plantar fasciitis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and a scar from right knee arthroscopy. The appeals are dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, cervical spine disability, and lumbosacral spine disability, all of which are deemed to have begun during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for left foot plantar fascial fibromatosis and bilateral heel spurs, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral pes planus, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and tinnitus as well as the appeal for an increased rating for tinea pedis due to untimely filings.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, plantar fasciitis, and sleep apnea due to outstanding VA treatment records needing to be obtained.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, right knee strain, and bilateral foot pain as he elected to pursue a supplemental claim. The appeal of his lumbosacral strain disability rating is denied as it does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral foot and wrist pain as they are not adequately addressed by the previous VA examination opinions. New medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for low back disability, bilateral foot disability, and hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU. The need for aid and attendance is also remanded due to the absence of an examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, left hip disability, left shoulder disability, and right knee disability due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for plantar fasciitis of the left foot was denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability and concluded that there is not an approximate balance in the weight of the evidence.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 10 percent for irritable bowel syndrome was granted, with the effective date being March 6, 2020.