Ankle decisions — 2014

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hyperlipidemia, cellulitis, a right ankle disorder, influenza, tonsillitis, myositis, bilateral eye disorders (including astigmatism and presbyopia), and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed hip, knee, and ankle disabilities are not service-connected as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and denied his claim for service connection. For the left knee disorder, the Board found no direct service connection due to lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling an orthopedic examination to assess the severity of his ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a sinus disability, right shoulder disability, and right ankle disability were denied as current diagnosed disabilities were not demonstrated. The case is REMANDED to obtain outstanding treatment records and provide VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and assigned a disability rating of 20 percent effective from September 15, 2011. The Veteran's pes planus is rated at 20 percent prior to that date and the residuals of his left ankle injury are also rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current left foot and leg gouty arthritis is not related to his service, as there was no significant injury during ACDUTRA. The VA examiner found the injury in service to be soft tissue only with no evidence of bone or joint injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to provide an adequate medical examination of his service-connected left ankle disability, as the current VA examiner's opinion was inadequate and based on inaccurate facts.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is manifested by pain, stiffness, weakness and limitation of motion. The Board finds that the current evaluation of 20 percent adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims can be fully adjudicated, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine if she currently has disabilities related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, back disability, right knee disability, and left ankle and foot disability, preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background. The Board finds entitlement to TDIU is warranted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased rating for his right ankle disability before a decision was made by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed tension headaches and post traumatic degenerative joint disease of the right ankle are related to his military service, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent effective December 2, 2011. His bilateral ankle and left foot disabilities are not compensable. The right toe arthritis is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of liver disorder, left heel fracture, bilateral testicle disorder, and other conditions have been withdrawn. The remaining claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left ankle does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a personal hearing before a Member of the Board by live videoconference.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to issue a Statement of the Case for all four issues related to service connection for ankle and knee disabilities. The Veteran must be notified of their rights and responsibilities in perfecting an appeal.