Ankle decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new examination and an opinion regarding service connection for a right ankle disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, as there is no evidence of more than moderate limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral foot and ankle disabilities were denied by the Board. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left ankle strain, finding that these conditions are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records, as well as consideration of a recent Federal Circuit decision.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for Achilles tendonitis of the right and left ankle, bilateral degenerative joint disease of the first MTP joints, and bilateral calcaneal spurs. The claims are granted as secondary to service-connected Achilles tendonitis.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a blood disorder, heat exhaustion residuals, or right ankle disorder. The Appellant's claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disorder did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent, as there was no evidence of marked limitation of motion or ankylosis.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have right and/or left foot disability, right and/or left knee/leg disability, or left ankle disability that is the result of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active duty. The current disorders are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities, and therefore cannot establish service connection for his claimed conditions.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle, bilateral knee, and shoulder disabilities are pending.

The Veteran's initial claim for increased ratings for service-connected scars was granted, with the effective date set at May 22, 2006.,Effective October 23, 2008, the Veteran received a maximum rating of 40 percent for his right ankle scar disability and a maximum rating of 20 percent for his right knee scar disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's current left ankle degenerative joint disease is a chronic residual of an in-service left ankle fracture, which was sustained during active military service. The Board finds that the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left ankle fracture is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an evaluation above 10 percent for seasonal allergic rhinitis with reactive airway disease, diabetes mellitus was not incurred in active duty, hyperlipidemia is a laboratory finding, joint pain as a manifestation of a separately diagnosed disability from the service-connected left ankle arthritis and cervical and thoracolumbar spine arthritis did not have its onset during active military service, a thoracic spine disability representing a separately diagnosed disability from the service-connected thoracolumbar spine arthritis was not incurred in active duty, obstructive sleep apnea did not have its onset during active military service and is not etiologically related to, or otherwise worsened beyond its natural clinical progression by, service-connected seasonal allergic rhinitis with reactive airway disease. The claims for tuberculosis, a corneal abrasion of the right eye, and CTS of the left wrist were denied as well.

The Veteran's right knee orthopedic disability is found to have its onset during active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), and service connection is granted.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum from the April 2012 VA examiner or, if unavailable, another examination. The Veteran's current right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is being evaluated for its relationship to his service-connected back and right ankle disabilities.