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

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for right foot and left foot disabilities due to insufficient information about the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The AOJ is instructed to obtain pay stubs from DFAS and create a summary of all dates served by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral pes planus, to include bilateral plantar fasciitis and bilateral heel spurs is denied. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to an extraschedular total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected bilateral pes planus, to include bilateral plantar fasciitis and bilateral heel spurs.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis is dismissed as the March 2021 VA Form 10182 was considered in another appeal stream.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral pes planus with bilateral degenerative joint disease of the 1st metatarsal phalangeal joint with metatarsalgia are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of her conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further development, including obtaining service records from periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The Veteran's right foot conditions are being reviewed to determine if they are related to his military service.

The appeal for increased disability ratings for bilateral pes planus, tinnitus, left knee arthritis, and left knee instability is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for lower back injury, left foot plantar fasciitis, and right foot plantar fasciitis require additional examination and medical opinion due to incomplete or inadequate previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left foot disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the March 2021 VA opinion regarding aggravation of preexisting pes planus during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip, right foot, and left foot disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or association with service.,Service connection for lung disability has also been denied due to lack of proof of present disability.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral flatfeet and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran's pes planus was noted on entry, but there is uncertainty about whether it worsened during service. For the psychiatric claim, the Veteran had treatment for depression in service, and the Board finds that remand is needed to determine if his current condition is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded as there was an error in the duty to assist and AOJ errors.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for asthma and a compensable initial disability rating for left foot and right foot pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and hammer toes, 2nd toes due to procedural errors in the VA examination and opinion provided. The appellant's representative sought earlier effective dates for other claims but these are not before the Board.

The Board has dismissed all the issues of service connection for various conditions and symptoms, including back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, skin rash/condition, bilateral feet condition, fibromyalgia, left knee condition, right knee condition, IBS, pseudofolliculitis barbae, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus II, hypertension, and male erectile disorder. The Veteran requested the withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no current disability related to the claimed conditions and did not find a causal relationship between any of these conditions and military service.,Additionally, some issues were remanded due to insufficient evidence or need for further evaluation.

The Board has denied service connection for gout, heart disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bladder disability, sinus disability, bilateral flat feet, and headache disability. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as service connected. The rating for the lumbar spine is confirmed at 20 percent.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus symptoms were the same prior to July 18, 2019, warranting a 50% disability rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot conditions, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current diagnoses and active military service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish secondary service connection due to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have led to the need for regular aid and attendance, warranting SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of SMC at the housebound rate is dismissed as it is a lesser benefit than SMC based on aid and attendance.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral foot disability, and right shoulder disability due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The appeal is denied.