Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a left foot disability (other than callosities) and a right hip disability, as well as increased ratings for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral foot disability prior to July 6, 2020, lumbar spine disability, right knee instability prior to October 2, 2019, and left knee instability. However, it denied increased ratings for the bilateral foot disability since July 26, 2020, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and right knee instability since October 2, 2019.

The Board granted separate noncompensable ratings for bilateral pes planus, bilateral metatarsalgia, bilateral ganglion cysts, and left foot painful calluses as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bunionectomy residuals. The claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right and left foot bunionectomy residuals were denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral flatfoot (pes planus) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for hypertension and remanded claims for service connection for bilateral feet onychomycosis, bilateral knee iliotibial band syndrome, and sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral flat feet, finding that the disability was aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and initial ratings, as well as special monthly compensation.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for chronic left hip and leg pain, upper back pain, and two instances of neck disability due to untimely Notice of Disagreement filings. The claims for lumbar spine and right foot disabilities were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and radiculopathy, left lower extremity (sciatic nerve), while granting service connection for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) strain. The Board also granted a 30 percent rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left, right knee, and right big toe due to insufficient evidence showing a disability level warranting higher ratings.

The veteran withdrew all pending appeals, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these issues.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus as of March 8, 2022, but denied an earlier effective date and dismissed the claim for TDIU.

The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection awards related to right foot and left knee conditions, as well as a right ankle condition.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a cervical spine disability, and a lumbar spine disability. The claims for a thoracic spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral tinea pedis, an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and residuals of buttocks surgery were denied.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis, as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for her bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis based on the Veteran's competent lay statements regarding the chronic nature of his foot pain during service.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disability, heart disease, and digestive disability but granted service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability as there was no evidence of an injury during active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA. The other claims were remanded to correct a duty to assist error.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral pes planus and lumbosacral strain as the appeal was not timely filed.

The Board denied service connection for left and right heel spurs with plantar fasciitis, GERD, and an initial compensable rating for hypertension. The issue of whether a reduction in rating from 30 percent disabling to noncompensable, for migraine headaches, effective November 16, 2023, was proper, is dismissed.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the right ankle disability prior to November 16, 2019 and from April 23, 2021 onward; denied a higher rating during other periods. The Board also granted a 30 percent disability rating for the right foot pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, left foot achilles spur and degenerative arthritis, and right foot hallux valgus from September 28, 2023 to May 29, 2025; denied a higher rating during other periods. The Board granted TDIU for the period from March 1, 2025 to June 6, 2025.