Ankle decisions — 2014

The Board has granted initial noncompensable ratings for the Veteran's right and left anterior compartment syndromes, as well as his left great toe degenerative changes. These conditions are rated under Diagnostic Code 5262 (impairment of tibia and fibula).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of her left ankle disability.

The Board has scheduled the Veteran for a videoconference hearing, but due to his failure to report, the case is being returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a bilateral ankle disorder or bilateral shin splints during the pendency of the appeal, and thus service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims of service connection for knee and left ankle disabilities, as well as his claim for bilateral hearing loss. The underlying issues are addressed in a separate remand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete consideration of his right ankle disorder claim and updated VA medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the retrieval of relevant VA treatment records. The issues of service connection for right knee and left ankle disorders, as well as increased evaluations for depression, bilateral pes planus, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability are addressed.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his bilateral ankle disabilities are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing on his claim of entitlement to an initial rating greater than 10 percent for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, and no other foot disorder was identified at the Veteran's hearing before the Board in February 2013. The record also does not support a relationship between any other foot disability and service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for a temporary total evaluation because of hospital treatment in excess of 21 days for a service-connected left ankle disability under 38 C.F.R. § 4.29.

The Board has determined that an effective date of January 22, 2003, is warranted for the grant of service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for chronic left ankle strain is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disabilities are being remanded due to the unavailability of his service treatment records. A VA examination is requested to determine if these conditions are related to active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current level of severity of his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the local RO in Huntington, West Virginia. The issues of service connection and disability ratings are pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left pectoralis major muscle tear and right ankle disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's VR&E program was discontinued due to unsatisfactory conduct and cooperation, as evidenced by his failure to provide requested information and participation in informational interviews. No mitigating circumstances were found.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left ankle and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not show more than moderate limitation of motion in either joint.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD (to include generalized anxiety disorder), and a bilateral ankle disability. The evidence did not support these claims as there was no valid diagnosis of PTSD based on a corroborated in-service stressor, no current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include generalized anxiety disorder, which could be related to active service, and no relationship between the claimed disabilities and active service.