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

The Veteran's claim for service connection of his bilateral foot disability was denied in a July 1970 rating decision. He did not appeal this denial, making it final and binding on him based on the evidence then of record. The effective date cannot be earlier than the date of his petition to reopen the claim in May 2008.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that there was no evidence of aggravation during his active service and concluding that any current disabilities were not related to his military service.

The Veteran is granted an initial noncompensable rating for right foot plantar fasciitis and a separate noncompensable rating for Morton's neuroma of the right foot. The combined ratings result in a total noncompensable disability evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral pes planus with left heel spur due to inadequate consideration of alternative diagnostic codes and failure to provide a statement of reasons and bases.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, asthma, lumbosacral strain, right quadriceps strain, hemorrhoids, left bunion with pes planus, and other conditions. The claims are being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded as the VA examiner did not provide an opinion regarding whether his current diagnoses of plantar fasciitis and right median nerve motor axonal neuropathy were related to his military service or if they were aggravated by his diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral pes planus is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability of the right ulnar nerve, and denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities. The issues related to his right foot, knee, and ankle disabilities were also addressed.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus with associated plantar fasciitis was denied as the evidence did not show marked deformity or pronounced disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral pes planus with associated conditions, as well as his request for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss on the basis of clear and unmistakable error, were both granted. The effective dates are set at March 4, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right shoulder, left ankle, right ankle, hypertension, bilateral foot plantar fasciitis with left first metatarsophalangeal joint degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder all had their respective initial rating evaluations determined to be inadequate.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was granted service connection, and his left ankle swelling was granted a 40% rating effective January 1, 2007. The remaining issues are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right foot disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, left shoulder disability, and lumbar spine disability due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of bilateral calcaneal stress fractures have been rated at the maximum disability rating (20%) under Diagnostic Code 5271, which pertains to marked limitation of motion of the ankle. The evidence shows that both ankles exhibit less movement than normal, weakened movement, excess fatigability, incoordination, pain on movement, swelling, disturbance of locomotion, and interference with sitting, standing, and weight-bearing after repetitive use.,The Veteran's service-connected residuals of bilateral calcaneal stress fractures have been rated at the maximum disability rating (20%) under Diagnostic Code 5271, which pertains to marked limitation of motion of the ankle. The evidence shows that both ankles exhibit less movement than normal, weakened movement, excess fatigability, incoordination, pain on movement, swelling, disturbance of locomotion, and interference with sitting, standing, and weight-bearing after repetitive use.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's bilateral pes cavus to his active duty service and concluded that it was not caused or aggravated by any other service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral pes cavus is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus was not exacerbated by his military service and that his headaches, cyst/tumor/growth on his head and neck, and respiratory disorder are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as there is no evidence that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due solely to his service-connected disabilities prior to June 16, 2004.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to May 25, 2010.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a subdermal mass in his upper left chest, sleep apnea on a secondary basis to service-connected sinusitis and/or hypertension, and foot disability. The decision concludes that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or any other compensable condition.