Ankle decisions — 2013

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral ankle disorders, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected fracture of the left ankle has not been shown to be productive of a moderate impairment of the tibia/fibula or marked limitation of range of motion, and thus he is not entitled to a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's cervical fusion and cervical myelopathy are found to be proximally related to his service-connected left ankle sprain. The Veteran's left ankle disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims were denied as his right shoulder disability, psoriasis, and ankle disabilities are not service-connected. The decision did not address the claim for psoriatic arthritis of the bilateral hands.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, but is unable to proceed with a decision on the merits due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran does not have a disorder manifested by recurrent fevers and night sweats, a right knee disability, or a right ankle disability that was caused by his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability is not etiologically related to service and therefore, denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete examination findings and opinion, requiring further development including a VA orthopedic examination.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 20 percent since December 2008. The claim for an increased rating is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a back disability is granted, and his left ankle injury residuals are rated at the lowest possible rating of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and opinions from VA examiners.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation of his lumbar spine arthritis, as well as reopening of previously denied claims. The appeal is also remanded to obtain SSA records and conduct additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequacies in previous VA opinions and the need for additional evidence, including a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities of hypertension, mitral valve disorder, post-concussion syndrome (residuals of TBI), restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, left ankle disorder, left hip disorder, or right knee disorder. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis with pharyngitis, Parkinson's disease, bilateral cataracts associated with diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that his service-connected conditions alone are sufficient for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of left hip or left ankle disabilities, and thus, his claims for service connection based on secondary to residuals of a right femur fracture are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with a new examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The claim will also be referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication of claims related to diabetes mellitus, an increased rating for a right tibia fracture disability, and reopening of a previously denied claim for peripheral neuropathy. The TDIU claim will be held in abeyance until these issues are resolved.