Citation Nr: 18142698
Decision Date: 10/17/18	Archive Date: 10/16/18

DOCKET NO. 15-18 006
DATE:	October 17, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral pes planus is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from January 1980 to January 1983.  He served honorably in the United States Army.  The Board thanks the Veteran for his service to our country
The Veteran was last afforded VA examinations of his bilateral pes planus in January 2013.  The evidence of record to include his testimony during his hearing that the Veteran is suffering from daily pain, that he cannot wear boots or dress shoes, that he has problems with walking any distance, even 25 yds., that shoe inserts don’t help, and he has he has spasms, all indicates that his disability may have worsened since his last VA examination. The Board finds that he should be afforded a new examination evaluating his bilateral pes planus, in order to determine the current nature and severity of this service-connected disability. See Snuffer v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 400, 403 (1997).]
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Please associate with the virtual file any relevant VA treatment records that have been developed since 2014.
2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and severity of his service-connected bilateral pes planus disability.  The Veteran’s claims file should be provided to the examiner.  The examiner should obtain a detailed clinical history from the Veteran and should consider his testimony that he has daily pain, that he cannot wear boots or dress shoes, that he has problems with walking any distance, even 25 yards, that shoe inserts don’t help, and he has he has spasms.  The examiner must note all pertinent pathology found on examination in the report of the evaluation. Any testing deemed necessary should be performed. The examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating his disabilities under the rating criteria.  The examiner must also address the functional effects of the Veteran’s bilateral pes planus disability.
 
M. C. GRAHAM
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	B. Herdliska