Ankle decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for allergies and a left ankle disability, allowing these claims to be reviewed on their merits.,For the asthma claim, the Veteran is currently rated at 30 percent from January 11, 2010. For hemorrhoids, he is currently rated at 10 percent since November 25, 2014.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral ankle osteoarthritis is related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inconsistencies and inadequacy of the September 2015 VA medical opinion, as well as failure to address specific records identified in the August 2015 remand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The Veteran's initial claims for higher ratings for his knee disabilities were denied. However, he was granted temporary total evaluations due to right and left total knee replacements.,His claims of service connection for a left ankle disability and a right ankle disability have been reopened.

The Veteran's chronic vasomotor rhinitis with recurrent epistaxis is found to be related to service, and service connection for this condition is granted. The Board finds that additional development is needed for the remaining issues on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including COPD and back disorders, have rendered her unable to maintain substantially gainful employment consistent with her education and occupational background.

The Veteran's appeal of the right ankle disability claim has been withdrawn. The service connection claim for chronic headache disability is denied as there is no current clinical objective evidence of a diagnosable chronic headaches or migraines.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including right and left ankle disorders, hip disorders, upper extremity disorders, leg disorders, neck disorder, back disorder, and headaches. The appeal includes claims of secondary service connection.,The Veteran seeks service connection for surgical complications of a pregnancy that occurred prior to her entry into active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for further evidentiary development, including obtaining VA treatment records from North Texas Healthcare System and ensuring all pertinent treatment records are associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial of his claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, back disability, and right ankle disability is being remanded due to issues related to obtaining medical examinations and opinions. The VA will need to obtain records from SSA and schedule appropriate VA examinations.

The Veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 20 percent from November 26, 2008 to September 12, 2014. A higher rating of 30 percent is granted for this period due to ankylosis in dorsiflexion between 0 and 10 degrees. The Veteran's right foot plantar fasciitis was rated at 10 percent from November 26, 2008 to September 12, 2014. No higher rating is granted for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, back disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right leg disorder, and left leg disorder. The Veteran's conditions were not found to be related to her service or secondary to her service-connected pes planus.,Service connection was denied for each of the Veteran’s claimed disabilities as they are not shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and to ensure all relevant records are obtained. The issue of entitlement to an increased rating for the service-connected left ankle injury with degenerative joint disease, as well as TDIU, will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and determine if the Veteran experienced any additional disability due to his left ankle surgeries, which may have been caused by VA carelessness or negligence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of arthritis within one year of discharge and that any current right knee disability is not related to service or his service-connected left knee disability. The remaining claims are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for an orthopedic examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's neck, right and left ankle, and left elbow disabilities.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 5271. His bilateral shin splints are not rated higher as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.