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

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and evaluations for various disabilities. The Veteran's appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board has expanded the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral foot calcaneal spurs to include bilateral foot disability. The appeals have been remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral flat feet. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and heart disability is being remanded for further development.,The Veteran was provided with a VA examination regarding his pes planus, but not for his sleep apnea or heart condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot disability and headache disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for bilateral flat feet and right shoulder disabilities, as well as the claim for an increased rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and chronic sinusitis are granted service connection. The Veteran's IVDS with lumbosacral strain is denied increased ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of his service-connected disabilities and to obtain updated VA examinations.,The Veteran has multiple issues related to his service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for various knee disorders, shoulder strain, wrist strain, thoracic spine compression fracture, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral plantar fasciitis with first metatarsophalangeal joint degenerative arthritis, pansinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and tension headaches. Additionally, he seeks service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and right flank condition with numbness.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a depressive disorder has been reopened and granted. The right foot metatarsalgia with pes planus and degenerative joint disease is rated at 20 percent.,Right hip replacement, left wrist cyst secondary to service-connected disabilities, lumbosacral strain, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy with sciatic nerve involvement of the left lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy with external cutaneous nerve involvement of the left lower extremity are all remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for pes planus and plantar fasciitis due to inadequate medical opinions in the original examinations. The Veteran must be scheduled for a new VA examination to assess his foot conditions, with particular attention to whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot disability and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a foot disorder is denied as there was no in-service injury or disease, and the current disability is not otherwise related to active duty service.

The Veteran's right foot plantar fasciitis and soft tissue mass with degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a rating in excess of 30 percent is not warranted due to lack of evidence showing loss of use of the foot. The left knee disability remains under consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new VA examination and to address the issue of an initial rating prior to March 25, 2010.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of respiratory disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, left knee disability, and left hip disability due to the absence of an adequate substantive appeal. The claim for service connection of right knee disability was denied as there is no evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, bilateral pes planus, and sciatic radiculopathy as secondary to a low back disability. The claim for hallux valgus/bunion is currently pending.,Further examination is needed to determine if the current hallux valgus/bunion condition is related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional VA opinions regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right knee arthritis is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left foot disability, including arthritis with bunions and hammer toes, is granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied service connection claims for pes planus and club feet is granted.,Service connection for plantar fasciitis, claimed as club feet and pes planus, is also granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left and right knee, back disability, and bilateral foot disability due to a lack of a medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including left knee tendinitis, bilateral foot disability, left ankle sprain, erectile dysfunction, urinary disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression), and bruxism. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's time in service.