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

The Board granted service connection for bilateral flat feet, bilateral hallux valgus, bilateral hallux rigidus, and bilateral hammer toes based on the evidence showing an increase in severity during active service.

The Board denied an initial rating greater than 70 percent for persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety, granted a 20 percent rating for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity shin splints, and left lower extremity shin splints, but denied an initial rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board granted service connection for left and right long finger strains, a right ankle strain, and GERD with hiatal hernia. The appeal seeking increased ratings for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, allergic rhinitis, and scars was dismissed due to severance of service connection.

The appeal was dismissed for the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, and service connection for migraine headaches was restored. Several claims for service connection were denied.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, post traumatic headaches, and hypertrophic tonsils, but denied service connection for a low back pain condition, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, gout, dyslipidemia, an earlier effective date for tinnitus, chronic dyspnea, neck condition, sleep apnea, and psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for her service-connected foot disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disabilities, bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, digestive disabilities including irritable bowel syndrome with abdominal pain and nausea, pelvic organ disabilities, iron deficiency anemia, and genital herpes. Service connection was denied for acne, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, painful joints, left shin splints, right shin splints, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, respiratory infection, GERD, PTSD, anxiety condition, manic-depressive reaction, and psychiatric disorder other than unspecified depressive disorder with symptoms of suicidal ideation. An initial 50% rating was granted for the service-connected unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU, dismissing one claim due to a withdrawal.

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, to include pes planus with rearfoot varus and calluses, based on the evidence showing that the Veteran's current foot problems are related to his military service.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and bilateral pes planus, denied service connection for anxiety, and denied an initial compensable rating for alopecia areata. The claims for service connection for difficulty breathing (claimed as asthma), back strain, and sleep disturbances were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, erectile dysfunction (ED), and bilateral flat feet as the evidence did not support a medical nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's period of active duty.

The Board remands the matter for additional evidence to be obtained and considered regarding the Veteran's left foot disability.

The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disability as secondary to the Veteran's right foot disability and denied a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss. Other issues were remanded.

The Board remands the matters for further development, including scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left foot and ankle disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, right and left hip disabilities, and right and left foot disabilities based on the evidence being at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset in service.

The Board granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and other specified anxiety disorder, but denied or remanded the claims for service connection for a recurrent temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disability, prostatitis, erectile dysfunction, left elbow disability, esophageal disability to include GERD, gastrointestinal disability to include IBS, headache disability, right shoulder disability, heart disability, bilateral foot disability, and compensable ratings for hemorrhoids and allergic rhinitis.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral spine strain from December 28, 2021, and granted service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED) as secondary to UTSRD and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board granted a 50 percent disability rating for the service-connected lumbosacral strain, denied an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis, and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of bilateral pes planus to obtain a complete etiology opinion addressing whether the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a foot disability, claimed as plantar fasciitis, to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.