Ankle decisions — 2016

The Veteran's service-connected Hodgkin's disease was granted with a rating of 30 percent.,Increased ratings for the right and left ankle disabilities were granted, each at a 20 percent rating effective February 7, 2011.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at the maximum allowable under the applicable rating criteria, and his bilateral hearing loss is not compensable prior to September 10, 2014. The appeal has been granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's alopecia areata, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability do not warrant a compensable rating or service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disability, including degenerative arthritis and Achilles tendonitis, did not have its onset in service or is otherwise related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to provide proper notice of a change in his hearing request. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining service records and verifying dates of active duty and inactive duty training. The Veteran's left ankle condition will be evaluated by a medical examiner.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an updated VA examination and review the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder, including consideration of his inservice injury and postservice continuity of symptoms.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and an opinion regarding his right ankle disability and TDIU claim.

Service connection has been established for all the claimed conditions effective November 4, 2005. As such, there are no remaining issues in controversy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle condition is related to an in-service injury, but his bilateral ankle and left ankle arthritis conditions are not established.,Service connection for a right ankle strain was granted. However, service connection for bilateral ankle conditions (including left ankle arthritis) cannot be established.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for a left testicular spermatocele and a rating in excess of 10 percent for a right ankle disability on an extraschedular basis were denied. The Board found that the available schedular criteria adequately covered his disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and right ankle disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during active service, and the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify her.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ankle disability is not service-connected and denied his claim. The rating for hypertensive heart disease and paroxysmal atrial fibrillations was maintained at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to fibromyalgia, which began during her service. Therefore, she is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and an examination, as well as clarification of representation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, and thus granted service connection for these conditions. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss, a right ankle disability, hemorrhoids, and a psychiatric disability remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, service connection for a back disorder, service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, and service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder.