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

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability and heart disability were denied. The appeal was also denied as the highest possible rating of 70% for PTSD has been granted.

The Veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, leg disability, or left foot disability that is service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus. The right knee disorder, ingrown toenails of the right foot and fungal infection of the right toenail, ingrown toenails of the left foot and fungal infection of the left toenail, and a left foot disorder are all being addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling error for a Board hearing. The issues of rating ratings, service connection, and effective date are still pending.

The Veteran's right side facial numbness is rated at 30 percent, effective July 11, 2008.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 30 percent, effective July 11, 2008.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU, and his evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of these conditions.

The Veteran's combined rating of 70 percent for service-connected disabilities from June 1, 2004 to March 10, 2005 and 90 percent thereafter meets the threshold requirements for a TDIU. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30% rating for service-connected bilateral pes planus is denied. The earliest possible effective date of March 18, 2011, was assigned as the increased rating was granted on that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and the provision of his most recent VA outpatient treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected left foot pes planus has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 30 percent since the effective date of service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for his bilateral foot disorders, concluding that they were not incurred or aggravated by service and are not related to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his request to withdraw the appeal for sleep apnea. The Board found that bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were incurred in active duty service.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and Freiberg's disease of the left second metatarsal were found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating (10%) under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection on a secondary basis due to PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits were denied as he did not meet the criteria for unemployability based solely on his service-connected disabilities prior to April 6, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including consideration of the November 2014 VA examination reports and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case if any benefits are granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability and left foot pes planus, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected right knee bursitis. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus is rated at 10 percent, and his right hand fracture does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a right foot disability. The claim for low back disability is pending as an issue.