Not Sure What To Do

[noscopes4me]

Sc'ed for bilateral pes planus. in the procces of eval for feet and Trying to get nexus for ankles and have dr notes xrays etc. Anyways was going to try to get nexus for knees and back also from pes planus. But I have no condition in my back and knees besides pain and maybe some tendonitis and possible arthritis but no evidence.

Went to see a doctor about knees and back but back really shows no problem but occasional pain. But my knees I get pain just below kneecap was told tendinitis. My question is is it worth for me to file a claim for knees and back or should I withdraw my claims because I have already started the claim proccess. I really see no point in continueing these claims for my knees and back just wanting some advice either way thanks.

[Angela]

I didn't think I'd be service connected for my back when I retired. After an auto accident had neck and back pain but x-rays and mri showed no damage. Went through physical therapy for a few months, and then had occasional pain but never saw another doctor. The DAV rep just wrote down everything I'd ever been seen for when he went through my records and I thought he was nuts for including this. But when I went to the exam for the VA they did x-rays that showed slight narrowing of spaces between vertebrae, asked about the current symptoms and how often they reoccurred, and I was service connected - for arthritis.

Something of that sort might happen to you also but you won't know unless you apply.

Best of luck!

Edited October 6, 2008 by Angela

[dav_marine72]

I got my back service connected in 2000 five years after I got out of the Marines. There was only one mention of a sick bay visit for my back in service. My back problems started in 97 and I should have filed then but I was just trying to get fixed. After failed surgery in 2000 I went after them. I have high arch feet. Both were service connected because of fractures in service. I had my surgeon write a letter stating it was possible the back condition was directly do to training. I also got a podiatrist to write a letter saying because my feet didn't support the shock of walking, hiking, and running it was possible my back condition was caused by my service connected feet. The VA examiner thought it was both direct and secondary and connected me. At that time my back was three levels DDD, failed surgery at 2 levels, etc.

The moral here is if it's possible go after it early. I lost a ton of money from 97-00 because I never filed. However, don't forget there needs to be in service documentation of an injury or decease (or secondary to feet), a current disability with a diagnosis (back complaints and possibly image findings), and a nexus (which usually comes in the form of a letter or letters like I stated above).

[Berta]

I posted a BVA case here sometime ago where the vet had 10% pes planus and ended up with TDIU due to the secondary conditions that his pes planus caused.

I feel you should file as secondary for anything that does cause you pain or interfere with your mobility- as even a "0" sc rating could in time get worse and it would be easily to get the "0" higher at some point-with medical evidence-than have to first get it SCed.