Ankle decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an inadequate prior VA examination and a need for further medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's gout.

The Veteran's claimed disabilities of the left upper extremity, back, left hip, and left ankle are not service-connected as they were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left ankle disability is directly related to service, and whether it was caused or aggravated by her service-connected right ankle strain and/or her service-connected status post left femur fracture with left hip osteoarthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, migraine headaches, left shoulder strain with glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, left elbow strain, right elbow strain, left wrist sprain, right wrist sprain, cervical spine strain, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, and left knee strain with arthritis. The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.,The Board has granted service connection for right knee strain with arthritis. The Board found that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's BPPV is due to his service-connected right ankle and knee, which gave way during a fall. The Board finds that the Veteran's testimony regarding the cause of his BPPV has some tendency to make a nexus more likely than not.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist sprain and right ankle sprain was received on April 10, 2014. The Board finds that the earliest claim for entitlement to benefits for both a left wrist sprain and a right ankle sprain was received on April 10, 2014.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression and anxiety), cervical spine disability, hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and low back disability are all related to his active service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle or right shoulder disability, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA examinations and treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right ankle strain, and tension headaches, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since September 1, 2013.

The Veteran's joint pains are attributed to known clinical diagnoses of degenerative conditions and are not related to his active service, including exposure to environmental hazards in the Persian Gulf.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities due to new evidence submitted since the final denial. The claim is granted as these conditions are found to be related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any residuals of rheumatic fever or a disability related to rheumatic fever at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran withdrew all his claims on appeal, including the increased rating and initial rating claims.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal of all pending claims before the Board.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at a maximum of 40 percent, the highest available rating under Diagnostic Code 5262. The condition is manifested by pain, stiffness, weakness, and limited range of motion necessitating use of a brace and cane.

The Veteran's right and left ankle, knee, and hand arthritis are found to have been caused by in-service incidents. Service connection is granted for all six conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney disease and TDIU. The Veteran was found not to have a current disability related to kidney disease, and his combined rating did not meet the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that a cervical spine disability was incurred in service and granted service connection for it. The lumbar spine, left leg (including ankle and knee disorders), right wrist, right knee, and right arm disabilities were not shown to be related to service or any presumptive exposure basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's case due to inadequate examination reports and outstanding VA treatment records. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the right ankle disability claim.