VA filed my new secondary claim incorrectly - what’s the best course of action?
Filed a 526EZ for two new secondary conditions off my bilateral pes planus (30%):
1. Plantar heel spurring of the right foot (secondary to pes planus)
2. Bilateral plantar peripheral neuropathy (secondary to pes planus)
The neuropathy was correctly tagged as “(New)” on the claim tracker. But the heel spurring got tagged as “(Increase).” Pretty sure the system matched it to my existing right foot cuboid syndrome (10% under DC 5284) since it’s the same foot.
The problem is these are completely different conditions. Cuboid syndrome is lateral midfoot joint pain. Heel spurring is a calcaneal bone spur confirmed by X-ray with sharp pain at heel strike. Different anatomy, different symptoms, different mechanism. My lay statement frames it as a new secondary condition, not an increase of the cuboid syndrome.
Has anyone else had the system auto categorize a new claim as an increase? Did it affect how the rater evaluated it, or did the evidence sort it out? Thinking about calling the 800 number or submitting a clarifying statement to make sure it gets adjudicated as a separate condition.