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

The Board denied service connection for low back disability and bilateral hearing loss, but granted a 10% rating for right foot disability prior to May 26, 2016. The Veteran's PTSD claim is remanded due to inadequate medical evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the appellant's bilateral pes planus and posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, which is already service connected. The examiner should provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to active service or secondary to his right foot arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's back disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus and bilateral ankle disabilities. The Veteran was noted to limp in 2008, 2009, and 2010, and a private podiatrist report indicated that his gait strain may have contributed to his back disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right foot disability, left foot disability, lumbar spine disability, liver disability (hepatitis B and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), memory loss, headaches, left eye disability (cataracts and glaucoma), high cholesterol, right knee disability, and left knee disability (arthritis).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression, neck, back, ankle, and foot conditions, made it impossible for him to engage in substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Board granted a TDIU on an accrued basis.

The Veteran's lumbar strain is granted a rating of 40 percent, and the other issues are either denied or remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an incorrect legal standard used by the VA examiner and the need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting pes planus was aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and left foot pes planus have been granted service connection. The issue of entitlement to a higher rating for the left foot pes planus has also been resolved in his favor.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating claim for right hand disability was denied. The claims for service connection of bilateral flat feet/pes planus, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and erectile dysfunction were reopened due to new evidence received since the last final decisions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for bilateral pes planus with degenerative arthritis and right metatarsalgia and hallux valgus, as well as an unspecified anxiety disorder, need to be remanded due to a lack of recent medical evidence. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine the current severity of her service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disabilities (plantar fasciitis and foot sprain) and IBS are granted. The GI disability other than IBS, but to include GERD is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease, all of which the Veteran claimed were due to in-service herbicide exposure. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during his active duty.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and arthritis of the feet, finding that there was no evidence of worsening during service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's motion for revision of a June 25, 2014 decision based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) as it did not meet the pleading requirements.

The Veteran's bilateral recurrent tinnitus is granted service connection. The appeals for CAD, hypertensive vascular disease, and diabetes are dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran. Service connection for bilateral pes planus is granted with a rating of 30 percent prior to July 1, 2015.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for a low back disability has been granted. The claims for increased ratings and TDIU are still pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral flat feet (claimed as ankle condition) has been reopened and granted. The claims for hypertension, hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, and sarcoidosis have all been denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, and bilateral foot disabilities due to potential aggravation by other service-connected conditions.,Specifically, the Veteran's knee and foot disabilities are being reviewed again as they may be aggravated by his pre-existing knee disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and GERD have been granted ratings, with the rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis being 50% prior to November 17, 2017. The rating for GERD remains at 30%. No new evidence was provided in this appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder was denied. The appeals for service connection for left ankle condition and bilateral foot disability, as well as the TDIU claim prior to June 29, 2017, are remanded.