Service connected 0% rating

[Willdodgers]

I received a 40% rating Dec 2017. 20% for my shoulder and 10% each knee. I also received service connected,  0% rating each foot. My feet are in so much pain everyday that sometimes I have to take baby steps to walk.  I told the doctor this at my C&P exam.  He described bunions and daily pain with flare ups. Then he commented that my pain was mild.  First of all I never saw a pain rating of mild. I always saw pain = moderate at least.  Anyway, I had started going to a podiatrist and follow ups with cortisone shots. He diagnosed me with claw foot ( bilateral ) walking on the outsides of my feet, hammer toe ( bilateral ).  I sent this info in ( he filled out a DBQ) and asked for a reconsideration of award.  Been less than a month now and their only request were request 1 - second signature, request -2 review complex exam. Both state no longer needed.  Is this normal ? Do I have a good chance of getting my award upped in percentage? Is so, can I request that my original date be retroactive or will they keep the new assigned date of Mar 16? My Service advisor also added on back secondary to my knees. I assume this could stall the process. I would be happy with a 0% on my back for the future. I have flare ups; but nothing like my feet, knees and shoulders. 

[broncovet]

These are great questions!  

Let's see if my answers are just as good.  

As far as your chances for an increase, look at the link below, and see how your symptoms compare with the criteria in the CFR:

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https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/4.71a

You see, I dont precisely know what is wrong with your feet (muscle, bone, tendons, etc), but Im sure you know your symptoms much, much better than I do.  

Of particular importance is your "functional impairment".  That is, does your feet disabilities impair your ability to work?  If so, how, and how much?  Are you working?  Are you ABLE to work?  Are you restricted as to the amount of time you can spend walking or standing by a doctor??

If you are working full time, without any absences to go to the doctor for your feet, and you did not take time off because of foot pain, then your feet have little or no impact on your work.  

2.  As far as your question to the effective date, its likely that you should get the earlier date but may have to appeal it BECAUSE it sounds like you submitted "new and material evidence" on a pending claim, 38 cfr 3.156 b :

 

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§ 3.156 New and material evidence.

(a)General. A claimant may reopen a finally adjudicated claim by submitting new and material evidence. New evidence means existing evidence not previously submitted to agency decisionmakers. Material evidence means existing evidence that, by itself or when considered with previous evidence of record, relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim. New and material evidence can be neither cumulative nor redundant of the evidence of record at the time of the last prior final denial of the claim sought to be reopened, and must raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 5103A(f), 5108)

(b)Pending claim. New and material evidence received prior to the expiration of the appeal period, or prior to the appellate decision if a timely appeal has been filed (including evidence received prior to an appellate decision and referred to the agency of original jurisdiction by the Board of Veterans Appeals without consideration in that decision in accordance with the provisions of § 20.1304(b)(1) of this chapter), will be considered as having been filed in connection with the claim which was pending at the beginning of the appeal period.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501)