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

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral pes planus, right and left ankle arthritis, lower back arthritis, cervical spine disorder, right hip condition, left hip condition, major depression, right leg radiculopathy, right arm radiculopathy, erectile dysfunction (ED), left knee replacement, and right knee disability. The denial is based on the conclusion that these conditions did not pre-exist service or were not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial ratings assigned for her service-connected disabilities is remanded due to incomplete private treatment records and a need for an updated examination under the new Diagnostic Code 5269.,The Veteran's appeal regarding earlier effective dates for her service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent. Service connection for hypertension and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine are granted, while service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, ingrown toenails, and a skin disorder are denied.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for acne vulgaris and has remanded the remaining claims on appeal due to the need for additional examinations.

Your claims for service connection have been granted, but the decision is a full grant of the benefits sought.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased disability evaluations in various conditions, with some issues granted and others not. Service connection for a lung disorder was also established.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU as his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various disabilities as both the appellant and his authorized representative requested a withdrawal of these appeals.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for aggravation of preexisting bilateral flat feet, finding that there was no increase in disability during service and that the evidence did not support a presumption of aggravation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a statement of the case on several issues, including those related to radiculopathy, frostbite, hearing loss, dizziness and vertigo, respiratory disability, right knee chondromalacia patella, gastric ulcer, chronic headaches, allergic rhinitis, cervical strain, and lumbar paravertebral myositis.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, LLE radiculopathy, and low back scar are rated at 20 percent effective February 7, 2018. The bilateral foot disability is rated at 30 percent effective July 2, 2019.

An initial 50 percent rating for disabilities of the left and right feet, effective January 8, 2001, is granted.,An initial, separate 20 percent rating for right knee disability based on frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion, effective January 8, 2001, to September 29, 2014, is granted.,An initial, separate, minimum 10 percent rating for right knee disability based on instability, effective January 8, 2001, to September 29, 2014, is granted.,Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a right knee disability based on limitation of flexion, from January 8, 2001, to September 29, 2014, is remanded.,Entitlement to an initial, separate, rating in excess of 10 percent rating for a right knee disability based on instability, effective January 8, 2001, to September 29, 2014, is remanded.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for a right knee disability from November 1, 2015, is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the loss of use of both lower extremities, affecting balance and propulsion. The Board finds that he is eligible for specially adapted housing but not for special home adaptation grants due to his existing eligibility for SAH.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and remanded the issue of service connection for a back disability.

The Board has remanded three issues for further development: service connection for athlete's foot, rating in excess of 10 percent for left heel plantar calcaneal spur, and rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of left thumb injury.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. The claim for recurrent foot disability to include bilateral pes planus and bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's appeals for an earlier effective date and the propriety of a reduction in disability ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of these issues.

The Board has granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of the right foot and ankle, finding that no effective function remains other than what would be equally well served by amputation below the knee with a suitable prosthetic appliance. The decision is based on evidence from VA treating podiatrists who assessed the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is not entitled to SMC at a rate intermediate between SMC(l) and SMC(m) (SMC(p)) because he does not have an additional disability rated as 50 or 100 percent disabling.,The Veteran's claim for higher level of SMC, claimed as entitlement to SMC(t), is denied due to the lack of evidence showing that he requires a 'higher level of care' than what is required for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability from March 13, 2017 onward is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.