Ankle decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to outstanding VA treatment records, including those related to the Veteran's right ankle disorder, eye disorder, and left inguinal hernia repair with stable scar. The Veteran is advised to submit any additional evidence in support of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling appropriate VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are too numerous and severe to identify a feasible vocational goal, leading to the denial of his VR&E benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including hearing loss, tinnitus, back disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, respiratory disorder (presumed due to herbicide exposure), and GERD, are not related to his active service. The appeal is denied.

The Board has determined that there is no proof of current disabilities for the right arm or elbow, low back, and bilateral ankle conditions. Therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and right ankle disabilities, as well as his claim for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's right ankle condition, characterized by myofascial pain syndrome with lateral laxity, has been rated at 10 percent since June 10, 2008. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to marked limitation of motion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to clarify the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities, including ankle, knee, low back, and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle pain is found to be related to his service-connected bilateral pes planus, and thus he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities have been reopened, but new evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.,Service connection has not been established for hearing loss or tinnitus as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle, right ankle, and allergic rhinitis disabilities are all incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The claim for left ear hearing loss was not substantiated as the Veteran did not have sufficient impairment to qualify as a disability. The claim for service connection for residuals of left leg thrombosis, respiratory disability, and left knee disability is addressed in the REMAND section. Other claims are denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for osteoarthritis of the right ankle was denied, as his current disability level does not warrant a higher evaluation. The service connection claim for alcohol induced anxiety disorder, claimed as depression with alcohol dependency secondary to osteoarthritis of the right ankle, was also denied due to lack of legal merit.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle arthritis and left foot sural nerve mononeuropathy are service-connected, with all doubts resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, is not due to disease or injury that was incurred in or aggravated by service; nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The VA examiner opined that the etiology of the Veteran's current left ankle condition was wear and tear on the bones of the left ankle due to obesity and age.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private medical records and arranging a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for his claimed sinus disorder, hemorrhoids, right shoulder disorder, right hip disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected Crohn's disease, heart disorder, and right ankle sprains. The Veteran was also denied entitlement to TDIU prior to June 26, 2010, and SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) prior to June 11, 2012.

The Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and the Board finds that service connection is not warranted.