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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one must be conducted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues of entitlement to service connection for various orthopedic and psychiatric disabilities are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's pes planus worsened during service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for flat feet.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficiently rationalized medical opinions and a need for additional development, including an examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral flat foot with plantar fasciitis is related to and/or aggravated by his service-connected low back strain with degenerative changes at L5-S1, and thus grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is found to be at least as likely as not related to his service-connected tinnitus and left knee disabilities.,The Veteran's low back disability is found to be at least as likely as not related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The appeal for entitlement to service connection for right hip limitation of flexion is dismissed.,Service connection for a left ankle disability as secondary to the service-connected left tibia-fibula fracture is denied.,Service connection for a left foot disability as secondary to the service-connected left tibia-fibula fracture is denied.,The appeal for entitlement to service connection for low back disability, as secondary to the service-connected left tibia-fibula fracture is remanded.,The appeal for entitlement to service connection for left hip disability, as secondary to the service-connected left tibia-fibula fracture is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, finding the evidence did not support a causal relationship.,Service connection was also denied for a bilateral foot disability due to lack of relevant medical records and insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection effective April 3, 2017. The other issues were denied as the earliest possible effective date is April 3, 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including back disability, right and left ankle disabilities, right and left shoulder disabilities, plantar fasciitis, and residuals of a fractured bottom right foot.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection was timely filed, and the Board granted the appeal as a result of equitable tolling due to extraordinary circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are rated at 30 percent for the entire period on appeal, and his service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the left knee and plantar fasciitis have been reopened but denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, left foot disability, and anxiety disorder was granted. A 40 percent rating was assigned for the right knee disability, effective August 15, 2019. The claims of service connection for other conditions were remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it had its onset during his military service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, headache disorder, eczema, chronic dermatitis, abdominal pain-related disorder, lumbar spine disorder, lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and bilateral pes planus was denied as there is no evidence to support these conditions during or after his military service.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus, lower back disability, bilateral pes planus, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further examination to determine the nature of his foot conditions and sleep apnea.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities. The Veteran was not granted a compensable rating for her hypertension, and the issue of service connection for a low back condition is remanded.,Service connection for a low back condition is being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions provided in January 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right foot disabilities due to a lack of VA medical examination prior to the September 2020 AOJ decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left ankle condition and left foot pes planus were denied. The maximum rating of 20 percent was awarded for the left ankle, and a maximum rating of 30 percent was awarded for the left foot pes planus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and heart disability, were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions during her period of active service or post-service. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a current disability in accordance with VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of bilateral plantar fasciitis and her TDIU claim have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew the appeal for the increased evaluation, and she is now in receipt of a TDIU for the entire rating period on appeal.