Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C was incurred in service. The issue of service connection for a foot disability, to include bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, plantar fasciitis, and bilateral knee arthritis are not considered service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is not service connected as it was not shown to have been present in service or for many years thereafter. The right foot drop (assumed right foot disability) is also not service connected as there is no evidence of such being present in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 5, 2012. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left foot disability, as it relates to service. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Veteran is also entitled to a higher rating for his PTSD, but the TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain post-service treatment records and military retiree records.

The Veteran's Bell's palsy, bilateral pes planus, hemorrhoids, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder were not found to be related to service. The Board determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder did not manifest during active service.

The Veteran's initial claims for service connection for a left hip disability, right knee disability, and left foot disability were denied in January 2007. New evidence received since then has been found to be new and material, reopening the claims.,PTSD was rated as 50 percent disabling prior to April 14, 2015, and is now rated as 70 percent disabling after that date.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current left lower extremity disability other than his service-connected left leg varicose veins with circulatory problems and service-connected left foot disability. Therefore, service connection for a left lower extremity condition is denied.

The Board has determined that none of the Veteran's claimed disabilities began during service or are related to service in any other way.

The Board finds that the cause of the Veteran's death was of service origin and thus, service connection is warranted for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is not a severe disability, characterized by objective evidence of marked deformity (pronation, abduction, etc.), pain on manipulation and use accentuated, indication of swelling on use, and characteristic callosities. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of any esophageal disability and addressing whether it is proximately due to or the result of service-connected status post removal of eighteen inches of intestine with scar.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus and left foot bunion were aggravated by her military service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities, as well as his left shoulder disability are all found to be related to service.,For the ankle disabilities, the Veteran's right ankle gout is found to have preexisted service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, as well as for the Veteran to provide additional evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus has been productive of no more than marked impairment, and the preponderance of evidence does not support an increased rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral pes planus are related to his active service. The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral leg disability (other than pes planus) is also related to his service, particularly when resolving the benefit of the doubt in his favor.