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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are inextricably intertwined with his claims for remand. The claims have been REMANDED to allow for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability and an initial compensable rating for right ankle fracture due to incomplete development of evidence, including failure to obtain VA examination and SSA records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted with effective dates of May 1, 1997.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for bilateral pes planus due to a duty to assist error and the need for an addendum opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus and a back condition due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran needs addendum VA medical opinions to address her conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus is found to be the proximate cause of his adjustment disorder, and thus service connection for this condition as secondary to his service-connected pes planus is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to February 6, 2019, for the award of special monthly compensation for aid and attendance (SMC A&A). The April 2015 rating decision implicitly denied SMC A&A. New evidence submitted after this decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted as incurred in service. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder and left foot disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis is granted as service-connected, with reasonable doubt resolved in his favor.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus (flat feet) is granted as service-connected due to aggravation of a pre-existing condition during military service.,The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss in either ear.,Service connection for a left knee disability cannot be established due to the absence of a current disability and lack of evidence of an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for right foot and left foot disabilities cannot be established because there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the Veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish their onset during service.,The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for her right knee disability is denied as she does not meet the criteria for instability or other functional loss that would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260, 5261, and 5257.,Service connection for a psychiatric disability has been granted but the Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also granted as her condition alone prevents her from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of a bilateral foot disability, including hammer toe deformity and metatarsalgia, is causally related to his military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a new VA examination to address the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral pes planus, as there was an error in the decision-making process and insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the condition.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeal for bilateral vision loss and has remanded her appeals regarding other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus and right hip osteoarthritis associated with bilateral pes planus, have precluded him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since June 5, 2014. The Board has granted an effective date of June 5, 2014, but no earlier.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment prior to June 7, 2019. The Board denied his claim for TDIU.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and remanded the cases of left and right ankle pain due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims of left plantar fasciitis, right plantar fasciitis, left ankle tendinitis, right ankle tendinitis, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and PTSD), and left hip strain are all remanded due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining adequate VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that these conditions do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a 50% or 40% rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis is rated at 30 percent, the maximum rating available under DC 5276.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as his right ear corresponds to Level I and left ear to Level V on the VA audiometric tables. The highest rating available is zero percent.,The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia with arthritis is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under DC 5260 for flexion limited to 115 degrees and extension limited to 115 degrees without ankylosis or instability.,The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia with arthritis is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under DC 5260 for flexion limited to 115 degrees.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis was granted with an effective date of November 19, 2018. The appeal is denied as the requested earlier effective date is not warranted.