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

The Veteran's service connection claim for plantar fasciitis is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current condition is related to active service, including as aggravated by his preexisting pes planus.

The appeal with respect to the issues of entitlement to service connection for various conditions is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding her loss of use of bilateral lower extremities and whether it is related to service-connected conditions. Additional development, including medical opinions, will be required.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist disability, rectocele, right knee disability (secondary to service-connected left knee surgery), and bilateral pes planus. The Veteran is now assigned a 10% rating for s/p left knee surgery with pain and cartilage thinning.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been denied.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left and right foot disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of increased ratings for invertebral disc syndrome and bilateral pes planus due to incomplete development, including a lack of consideration of recent VA examination results. The AOJ is instructed to obtain SSA records and provide an SSOC addressing these matters.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pes planus, finding that his condition pre-existed military service and did not worsen during service. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of other foot disorders (plantar fasciitis, enthesopathy, neuroma, degenerative arthritis) present during the period of the claim.

The Board denied service connection for a right foot disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis were not related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disorder and bilateral foot disorder due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's heart condition is being reviewed again, including considering his medications and prior diagnoses, while the bilateral foot disorder claim requires an opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for multiple joint arthritis, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities, bilateral ankle and foot disabilities, cardiac disability (including heart palpitations), and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence.,Further examination is needed to determine if the Veteran currently has these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate VA examination and missing VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to left foot, ankle, knee, and back disabilities are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is not required to have an underlying diagnosis of arthritis or other specific condition; pain alone can constitute a disability under VA law if it results in functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring additional VA medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder and its relationship to his service-connected dermatophytosis (skin disability) and/or PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied across multiple conditions, including left foot hallux valgus, metatarsalgia, pes planus, and plantar fasciitis; right shoulder and left foot scars; residuals of lung cancer (status post right upper lobectomy and tube thoracotomy with emphysema); and muscle tension dyspenia. The Veteran's tinnitus appeal was also denied.

The Veteran's lung cancer was rated at 100% permanent, and the issues of special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance, increased rating for left foot disability, and increased rating for lumbar spine disability were pending at the time of his death. The appellant is granted as a substitute party for these issues.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a left foot disability and a left ankle disability have been granted. The left foot disability is considered to be directly related to his military service, while the left ankle disability is found to be secondary to the left foot disability.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and asthma were denied service connection as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease. The eye condition due to trauma, lumbar strain, and right hip pain issues are remanded for further development.,Service connection for the Veteran's current diagnoses will be reconsidered based on new evidence and examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, TBI residuals, and pes planus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, low back, and bilateral pes planus disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for flat feet and lower back disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.