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

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and cause of the Veteran's bilateral foot disability, specifically plantar fasciitis. The claim is also being reviewed for whether her preexisting pes planus was aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and causation of a foot disability, particularly numbness in the feet and toes. The Veteran's complaints were not adequately addressed by the VA examiner.

The Veteran's service-connected left-ear hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, and his service-connected plantar fasciitis, bilateral, was rated at 10 percent. The Board remanded the claim for an increased rating of tinnitus.,The Veteran's service-connected plantar fasciitis, bilateral, was rated at 10 percent. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a higher rating and remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluations for scar, status post resection of right and left big toes are denied. The Board also found that the Veteran was not precluded from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities prior to June 5, 2020, thus denying entitlement to TDIU and DEA benefits prior to this date.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus, which results in marked pronation and extreme tenderness on the plantar surfaces of both feet despite using orthopedic shoes or appliances, is granted an initial 50 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is rated at a 10 percent effective February 7, 2021. The Board found the evidence incomplete as it did not include private treatment records and remanded for their acquisition.,For ED, DMII, IBS, and GERD, VA must obtain medical opinions under PACT Act provisions due to in-service exposure risk activities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left foot disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date for the award of a 30 percent rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding no pending claim prior to August 24, 2022, and that there is no factually ascertainable increase in the condition during the year prior to the receipt of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right foot, left foot, and hip disabilities have been denied. The Veteran is granted initial 10 percent ratings for his service-connected right knee scar and left knee.,A TDIU has been granted based on the combined effect of multiple service-connected disabilities rendering him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring an addendum VA medical nexus opinion.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral pes planus, as it was not previously provided despite meeting the requirements for such an examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depressive disorder does not meet the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance due to his ability to dress, feed himself, and perform daily activities. He is also not considered housebound due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining STRs and seeking a medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis, including heel and elbow arthritis, back strain, right elbow arthritis/tendonitis, right elbow olecranon bursitis, left heel pain, and left foot plantar fasciitis has been readjudicated. The evidence received since the October 2013 rating decision is new and relevant to the claim of service connection for arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee, bilateral foot/lower extremity disorders, and left hip disabilities. The VA will provide a new examination with an opinion on whether these conditions are related to or aggravated by her service-connected left ankle residuals status post Achilles tendon rupture.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral flat feet. The decision is binding only with respect to the specific issues decided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to notify the Veteran of scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for insomnia and headaches have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,For the bilateral plantar fasciitis, meralgia paresthetica (right and left), the Board has found that remand is necessary due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for jock itch (tinea cruris) has been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence.,Service connection for left-sided and right-sided hernias, pseudo folliculitis of the face, pseudo folliculitis of the neck, lumbar spine disability, sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia of the lower extremities, left foot bunion, right foot bunion, toenail fungus and tinea pedis, left foot pes planus, right foot pes planus, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, osteoarthritis of the hips, left wrist disability, and right wrist disability has also been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence.,The Veteran's service treatment records are silent regarding any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions. Post-service medical records do not provide evidence of current diagnoses for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right and left ankle disabilities. The claim of service connection for pes planus is remanded due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion regarding whether the service-connected ankle disabilities have aggravated the Veteran's pes planus.