Citation Nr: 22051170
Decision Date: 09/08/22	Archive Date: 09/08/22

DOCKET NO. 18-44 476
DATE: September 8, 2022

REMANDED

Entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral plantar warts is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active service from June to December 1978 and from June 1980 to April 1987.

This matter comes before the Board of Veteran's Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2017 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). 

Entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral plantar warts

The Veteran contends that he is entitled to a compensable rating for his bilateral plantar warts because he must constantly shave down his warts and they limit his ability to walk properly due to the pain from the warts.  See Board Hearing Transcript, pp.7, 13.

The Veteran was last afforded a VA skin diseases examination in May 2017.  He testified that his symptoms had worsened since he was last examined.  See Board Hearing Transcript, p. 16. He also testified that he would like to be examined by a podiatrist to sort out the functional limitations from his service-connected plantar warts and his non-service-connected plantar fasciitis.  Id.  

Based on the foregoing, the Board finds that a remand is necessary to afford the Veteran a VA examination to determine the current severity of his plantar warts.  

Diagnostic Code 5284 is used to rate foot injuries.  Diagnostic Code 7820 is used to rate skin disabilities.  The Veteran is currently rated for his plantar warts under Diagnostic Code 7806-7819.  Hyphenated diagnostic codes are used when a rating under one diagnostic code requires use of an additional diagnostic code to identify the basis for the evaluation assigned.  However, on remand, the RO should consider whether the Veteran's plantar warts are more appropriately rated under a different rating code, including any appropriate hyphenated diagnostic code. 

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Schedule the Veteran for a foot conditions examination by a podiatrist (or an appropriate medical professional) to determine the current severity of his plantar warts.  The Veteran's electronic claims folder, including a copy of this remand, must be provided to the examiner.  

The examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran's disability under the rating criteria. In addition to objective test results, the examiner should fully describe the functional effects caused by the service-connected plantar warts alone.

The examiner's attention is directed to the Veteran's prior testimony that he constantly soaks and shaves down his warts to prevent him from painful ambulation.  See Board Hearing Transcript, pp. 7, 13.  

The examiner's report must distinguish between symptoms of the service-connected plantar warts and the non-service connected plantar fasciitis. 

2. Then, the RO must reevaluate the Veteran's disability rating claim and consider whether its classification of the Veteran's service-connected plantar warts under Diagnostic Code 7806-7819 is appropriate.  

 

 

Michael A. Pappas

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	L. Baskerville

The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.