Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. Claims for right eye cataract, foot pain, lung cancer, hypertension, heart disability, PVD and bilateral iliac artery stents, interstitial lung disease, COPD, and benign prostate condition are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his presumed exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, low back disability, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed due to the untimely filing of their Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, while his bilateral pes planus is denied. The Board has remanded several claims for increased ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 28, 2023, for the award of service connection for generalized anxiety disorder was denied. The Board found that only one complete claim could be associated with each intent to file a claim and thus December 15, 2022, did not attach to the later supplemental claim seeking compensation benefits for an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for generalized anxiety disorder was remanded due to failure to provide proper notice of scheduled VA examinations and inability to schedule a VA examination via telehealth or at a facility near his residence.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis, dengue (internal hemorrhaging), erectile dysfunction, choroidopathy (bilateral photophobia), and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The issues were improperly docketed on this appeal.,These matters cannot be readjudicated under the current docket number due to previous decisions.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

Right upper and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndromes, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis are granted.,Right hand disability is denied. Bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, shin splints in both lower limbs, hallux valgus in both feet, and bilateral plantar fasciitis with calcaneal heel spurs are all granted initial ratings or effective dates prior to July 27, 2021.,GERD is granted an initial rating of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's hip and foot disabilities, as well as her sleep apnea. The main reasons for remand include obtaining new medical opinions regarding the severity of the hip conditions, the etiology of the bilateral foot disability, and the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Veteran's service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted. The claims for bilateral plantar fasciitis, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, right hip disorder, and right ankle disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for bilateral foot, lung, and neck disabilities has been withdrawn. The Board also dismissed the claims as there was no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a higher rating for migraine headaches.,The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of PTSD with alcohol use disorder is dismissed.

Service connection for myeloma, right foot disability, and left foot disability is denied.,An initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as there is no prior unadjudicated claim found in the record. The issue of TDIU was not raised until after a final rating decision on service connection for PTSD and TBI.

The Veteran's unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder is now rated at the maximum 70 percent, effective February 1, 2023.,He was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder.

The Board has restored service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis, effective May 1, 2025.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis, finding that his symptoms more nearly approximate a moderately severe foot injury.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis with posterior calcaneal spur has been rated by analogy under Diagnostic Code 5276, and the Board finds that a 50 percent rating is warranted for the entire appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and bilateral plantar fasciitis are denied. The claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis is remanded due to a potential pre-existing condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right foot disabilities due to a failure to obtain all of his service treatment records from his active duty period. The AOJ must ensure that all appropriate efforts are made to obtain these records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the medical evidence did not support a higher rating for his paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and cardiomegaly, left plantar fasciitis, or PTSD.