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

The Veteran's appeal involves a request for an increased rating for her service-connected left foot and ankle disability. The case is being remanded to provide clarification on the range of motion, clarify whether she has hallux valgus, and determine which symptoms are due to her service-connected injury.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and a chronic right shoulder disability, was granted. The Veteran also received increased evaluations for his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his bilateral flat feet with bunion deformity of the left great toe and residual scars was denied, as the current evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his disability. The reduction in his disability rating from 10 percent to noncompensable was found not to contain CUE.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for flat feet, bone spurs, and an eye condition were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current eye disorder other than refractive error, which is not service connectable. For the remaining conditions, there was insufficient evidence to establish that any pre-existing conditions worsened during service or were otherwise caused by service.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus disability has been rated as 10 percent since August 2, 2001. Effective August 2, 2001, the disability more nearly approximates the criteria for severe bilateral flatfoot.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left central band plantar fascia tears, as well as a mood disorder secondary to the bilateral foot disabilities. The Veteran's claims for back and neck disorders are remanded due to lack of VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 1, 2002. Therefore, an earlier effective date for the grant of individual employability is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, DEA under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. Chapter 35, and service-connected burial benefits due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or contributed substantially to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and flat feet were denied. The claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for residuals of a right malleolus fracture was also denied. The claim for service connection for a right knee disability is pending as the Board has remanded it.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional examinations to assess his pes planus and right testicular mass.

The Board found that the appellant's diagnosed conditions (moderate bilateral pes planus, exostosis of the right foot, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine) are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for fibromyalgia, lumbar spine arthritis, and bilateral pes planus have been denied as the current ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes are considered to be the highest possible.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable ratings for plantar fasciitis of the left foot, and service connection for left and right heel disorders have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran at his Board hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus is a result of his active duty service and granted his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's right club foot deformity was not aggravated by service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine service connection for his bilateral foot disability and right knee disability. The claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability will also be addressed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, but the Board found new and material evidence to reopen his low back and bilateral pes planus claims. The issues of increased PTSD and right knee ratings, as well as a temporary total rating due to surgical convalescence, remain unresolved.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability did not pre-exist his service and was not aggravated by it. The VA examiner found no evidence of a permanent aggravation of the cervical spine disorder due to service-connected low back disability.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, refractive error (blurred vision), amoebic dysentery, back disorder, residuals of a right foot laceration and fracture, pes planus, or bilateral calcaneal spurs.

The Veteran's left foot disability, right foot disability, tinnitus, and skin disorders are all found to be related to his active service.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions.