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

The Board has found that the RO substantially complied with the February 2022 Board remand directives. The Veteran's claims for service connection and a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, and left wrist disability are all remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right foot disability is etiologically related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus was aggravated during his period of active service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, bilateral pes planus, low back disability, and headache disability are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, mild hypertrophic facet arthrosis of the lower lumbar spine (lumbar spine disability), right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The claims are based on direct evidence rather than a presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and denied service connection for a right hip condition. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service diagnosis of severe pes planus, which resolved post-service but continued to cause symptoms. For the right hip condition, the VA examiner found no current disability related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral pes planus, finding that it is a congenital defect not subject to a superimposed disease or injury during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right foot and knee conditions have been denied. His plantar calcaneal spur exostosis of the right foot is currently rated at 10 percent, while his right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndromes are each rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral flat feet disability. The examiner did not adequately address the Veteran's lay contentions and service treatment records.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the lack of contemporaneous records supporting a direct service connection for the Veteran's right foot disability. The case is being remanded to obtain another medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current right foot disability is related directly to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and left ankle disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions were aggravated by his active-duty service. The Board also found a relationship between the current disabilities and the in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the claims for left shoulder, right foot, and left knee disabilities due to inadequate VA opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his military service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding higher initial evaluations for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and TDIU. For bilateral plantar fasciitis, an initial rating of 30 percent is granted prior to September 25, 2020, but no higher from that date.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is caused by his service-connected hypertension. The Board has granted the claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease, secondary to service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's dizziness, right shoulder disability, and right foot disability have been granted. The claims for left foot disability and asthma rating are pending and need further evaluation. Service connection is also granted for the feet disabilities with new evidence presented.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral pes planus due to missing non-VA treatment records. The Veteran is asked to submit or authorize VA to obtain these records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neck pain, headaches, depression, left arm pain, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to address these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 28, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, OSA, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and a bilateral foot disability due to lack of in-service diagnosis or exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection was not granted on a direct basis as there is no evidence of continuity of symptoms from service.