Ankle decisions — 2014

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back muscle strain, reopening his previously denied claim. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service connection claims, including the verification of his periods of active duty and inactive duty training, and for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various knee and hip disabilities, as well as a psychiatric disability. The decision was based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected atypical psychosis qualifies for VA reimbursement of medical expenses incurred for his right ankle injury, as the treatment was necessary due to a serious condition and no feasible alternative care was available.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, which resulted from a fracture, is now rated at 20 percent effective July 20, 2010.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle degenerative joint disease and chronic psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and schizophrenia. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss, schizophrenia, and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and residuals of a left ankle injury. The Veteran will be provided with another opportunity to provide information and evidence pertinent to his claims, and all necessary records will be obtained.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left ankle sprain was denied, and the December 1994 denial of service connection for a low back disorder became final. The Board found that new evidence received since the December 1994 decision raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim to reopen service connection for a low back disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions and finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a more current VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's recurrent right ankle sprain was incurred in service and the Board grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no current evidence of the claimed disorders and the Board finds that they are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records, particularly those from 2011 onwards related to his right ankle condition and since 2008 related to his right shoulder condition. The claims will be re-adjudicated after obtaining these records.

The Veteran's initial ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left and right ankles, as well as radiculopathy of the upper extremities, have been granted at 10 percent each. The rating for bilateral pes planus has also been granted at 10 percent.

The Board found that the pre-existing right ankle and foot disability did not increase in severity during service, thus denying service connection. The claim of service connection for Crohn's disease is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension have been reopened, but his claim for a left ankle disability remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right ankle and left foot conditions are not related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's right lower extremity disabilities combine to a rating equal to or greater than that assigned for amputation of the right lower extremity above the knee. A higher disability rating cannot be assigned as such would violate the amputation rule.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right ankle laxity. The issue of entitlement to TDIU will also be addressed.

The Veteran's current left foot and ankle symptoms are related to the in-service injury of a laceration to the left foot due to a motorcycle accident, which is considered incurred in active military service.