Ankle decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that there is no current right ankle disorder and thus the claim for service connection of a right ankle disorder must be denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The issues include service connection for a left ankle disorder, loss of smell secondary to service-connected disabilities, and increased ratings for nasal fracture residuals and chronic sinusitis.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various conditions, including knee and ankle disabilities. The Board finds that some of these claims are based on secondary theories of entitlement to the right knee disability. The appeal is therefore considered 'mixed' as it includes both granted and denied issues.

The Veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 20 percent prior to July 22, 2013, and at 30 percent thereafter. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under either diagnostic code.,VA has determined that an extraschedular rating is not warranted for the Veteran's right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, schedule examinations for his service-connected conditions, and determine the relationship between his current disabilities and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle arthritis is a result of his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has ordered additional development of the record to determine if there is malunion or non-union of the Veteran's right ankle, and to obtain a VA orthopedic examination. The case will be remanded for further consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection or an increase in disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart condition and left ankle condition are not related to his military service, thus denying both claims.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and denied her claims for service connection. The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome has been rated at 10 percent, but no higher, due to painful noncompensable limitation of motion. Similarly, the Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome has also been rated at 10 percent, but not higher, for similar reasons.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of right ankle sprain is as likely as not related to his active service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and insufficient reasoning in the May 2010 VA opinion. The claims for service connection are now pending.

The Veteran's right ankle disability has been rated at 20 percent since July 5, 2012. The Board found that the limitation of motion in his right ankle was marked rather than moderate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability warrants a 10 percent rating since December 1, 2008. The evidence shows moderate limitation of motion in the ankle prior to March 11, 2013 and marked limitation of motion beginning on that date.

The Veteran's appeal of his claim for service connection for left ankle pain was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal. The issue of an initial rating higher than 10 percent for lumbar spine degenerative changes is being remanded.

The Veteran's right ankle post-fracture disability is rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran has been granted service connection for his right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right hip disorder, and left hip disorder.

The Veteran is granted service connection for undifferentiated somatoform disorder with a rating of 70 percent, effective July 11, 2014. The Board also finds that the Veteran's headache disability and TBI are separately service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records, adjudicate the claim for a low back disorder, and schedule a VA neurological examination of his right lower extremity.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed left and right ankle disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The current disabilities are not considered secondary to his service-connected left hip disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current eye disabilities are not related to his active service and therefore denied service connection for bilateral eye disability.