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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his hearing loss, tinnitus, and left foot disability.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) prior to November 16, 2009. The Board is required to determine if there is plausible evidence that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities prior to this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his low back disability and fibromyalgia, and obtaining a VA opinion regarding the relationship between his bilateral plantar fasciitis and service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected cervical spine, right foot disabilities, and multiple scars on the right thumb. The reduction in the rating for the service-connected right shoulder disability from 20 percent to 10 percent effective May 26, 2011 was found to be proper.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and a neurological foot disability (numbness of the feet) are denied as there is no evidence of continuous or recurrent symptoms during active service, nor any nexus to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar calluses have been rated at 50 percent since October 2015, and his TDIU claim has been granted.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was rated at 10 percent prior to October 22, 2012. Beginning from that date, the disability is now rated at 50 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities were denied. The initial non-compensable and 10 percent ratings assigned to the right hand, left hand, bilateral pes planus, and right knee disability have been restored.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis. The remaining issues are addressed in the REMAND that follows.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes planus prior to December 2, 2015 and in excess of 50 percent since December 2, 2015. The highest schedular ratings available were already provided.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found no chronic orthopedic left leg disability, and the flat feet and lumbar spine conditions are rated appropriately under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hypertension had its onset and was shown in service. As such, the criteria for entitlement to service connection for hypertension have been met.

The Board found no new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine disability, PTSD, and bilateral pes planus. The service connection claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no medical evidence linking current tinnitus to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed left knee disability, and his service-connected lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings. The Veteran's tinea pedis is rated appropriately, as are his hearing loss and CTS. His acquired psychiatric disorder, right ankle condition, and head injury with headaches and myofascial pain syndrome do not warrant increased ratings. Finally, the Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, hearing loss, residuals of a deviated nasal septum (withdrawn), left ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and obstructive sleep apnea. The Board is also remanding the claim for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a right foot disability, which the Board has remanded due to inadequate previous opinions. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 60 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability pension based on service-connected disabilities. The evidence shows that his disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis, along with arthritis, sesamoiditis, and heel spurs in both feet, results in a severe right foot disability and a severe left foot disability. The Board has granted two separate 30 percent ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus alone does not prevent him from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation.