Ankle decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran is shown to require the regular assistance of another person due to physical incapacity when caring for the daily personal needs of dressing or undressing himself, toileting, bathing, and keeping himself clean and presentable as a result of his service-connected right knee, ankle, and foot disabilities, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle and low back disabilities, as well as a disability manifested by right leg atrophy. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected residuals of a right foot injury.

The Veteran's left ankle and foot disabilities have been rated at 30 percent since July 1, 1998. The Board has determined that a higher rating is warranted based on the current severity of his service-connected disability.

The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left ankle sprain, effective from the date of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,Service connection for left leg injury residuals resulting in complex regional pain syndrome is granted. The disability is considered to be secondary to the 2003 in-service left leg injury.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability is denied due to lack of diagnosed condition.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence and to provide the Veteran with an appropriate VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to address the issues on appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for left ankle and left leg/shin disabilities, as well as stomach ulcers and GERD. The Veteran's claims of service connection are pending on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous examination of his left ankle disability and updated VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a low back disability and postoperative metastatic breast cancer. The claim of service connection for a low back disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection was also denied for other conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a concussion, now claimed as TBI. However, the VA examiner found no evidence of current residuals from the 1975 concussion and concluded that the Veteran does not have residuals of TBI.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records. The issues are related to his left ankle sprain and instability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and another VA examination to evaluate the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's service-connected fracture of the left ankle is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on current medical evidence.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability, effective from January 4, 2011.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to her service-connected left ankle disability or if it has been aggravated by that condition. The Veteran also needs to have any recent VA treatment records obtained and associated with the claims file.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder. However, it did not reach a decision on whether these claims are well-grounded or meritorious.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for brain damage, memory loss, joint pain not otherwise specified, and somatoform psychiatric disability have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding of a current disability that is related to active service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches, left lower extremity/left ankle condition (crush injury), and bilateral pes planus are all rated at the maximum available under their respective diagnostic codes. The Board has determined that a higher rating is warranted for each of these conditions.