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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, right foot disability, and left foot disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether these disabilities are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the pre-decisional duty to assist and remands are necessary for obtaining additional evidence, obtaining a new medical opinion, and ensuring complete consent documents are associated with the file.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted as secondary to his service-connected peripheral neuropathy. The claims for bilateral pes planus, left foot tenosynovitis, right foot tenosynovitis, left foot osteoarthritis and degenerative changes, and right foot osteoarthritis and degenerative changes are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for acne and bilateral pes planus due to a failure to obtain relevant private treatment records and an inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to incomplete STRs and inadequate VA examination.

The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is dismissed.,The claims for service connection for migraines and a gynecological disorder, to include vaginitis, are readjudicated based on new evidence.

The appellant has withdrawn their appeal regarding the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right Achilles tendonitis, and right toe fifth digit injury.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for left lower extremity (LLE) of the posterior tibial nerve, to include left foot strain, is remanded due to inadequate examination and duty to assist error.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee conditions due to a lack of current diagnoses at any time during the pendency of his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for flat feet, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis on the basis that these conditions worsened during active duty service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing disability for VA compensation purposes. Therefore, service connection for left ear hearing loss must be denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, as evidenced by his inability to dress, feed himself, or perform daily activities without assistance. The Board has granted SMC based on this need.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance for the period of time on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left foot degenerative arthritis with plantar calcaneal spur and fragment at the periphery of the first interphalangeal joint, flat foot, hammertoes, and hallux valgus is dismissed as his claim has been fully granted. The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle status post scope and talus microfracture is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis is denied as the evidence does not show that he has undergone surgical treatment, which is required for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5269. The Board finds his symptoms are already contemplated by the currently assigned 10 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, right hip, left knee, and right knee. The Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for the claimed conditions of bilateral shoulder condition, bilateral flat feet, OSA, neck/cervical spine condition, ED, and GERD before a decision was made by the Board.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease as secondary to bilateral pes planus with arthritis, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise and granting the benefit of doubt to the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the claims for lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, and left foot disability are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The claim for OSA is also remanded.