Ankle decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities are service-connected. The right and left ankle disabilities have been remanded for further examination.

The Board has granted an extraschedular rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's left ankle fracture residuals, in addition to the current schedular 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the issues on appeal are more appropriately characterized as service connection claims. The Veteran's left knee and ankle disorders have been remanded for additional development to obtain relevant medical records, including VA treatment records and physical therapy records.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current right ankle disability and thus service connection for the right ankle cannot be granted. The Veteran's left ankle disability, rated at 10 percent, will remain unchanged as it does not meet criteria for an increased rating.

The Board granted the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left ankle strain, left knee strain with degenerative spurring of the patella, and atrophic hole in the left retina. The rating for bilateral tinea pedis was found to be noncompensable as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The rating for hammertoe of the left 5th toe was also found to be noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain missing VA records and for a VA examination. The issues are whether the Veteran has current right ankle, right knee, and right foot disabilities that had onset in-service or are otherwise etiologically related to active military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and lumbar spine strain due to inadequate examination reports. The claim for plantar fasciitis remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining whether the Veteran has a right ankle disability other than her service-connected right ankle trimalleolar fracture with arthrodesis.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a left ankle injury is granted, as the evidence is in equipoise that his current condition is related to his in-service ankle sprain. The issue regarding a left foot condition remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the retrieval of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to service and is denied. The right foot/ankle disability claim was remanded, but an addendum opinion from the May 2013 examiner is needed.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his right and left ankle disorders, as well as his right and left knee arthritis, have been denied. The highest schedular rating available for the right ankle disorder is 40 percent due to ankylosis, which is already assigned. For the left ankle arthritis, there is not more than a moderate limitation of motion. For the right and left knee disorders, prior to October 30, 2014, neither knee showed limitations in extension or flexion that would warrant higher ratings. Since October 30, 2014, the Veteran's knees do not meet the criteria for higher evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left and right ankles, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for a left varicocele with SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ, were denied by the Board. The evidence did not meet the criteria for any of the assigned DCs.

The Board has granted service connection for nocturnal myoclonus, a chronic disability that manifested within one year of the Veteran's separation from active duty. The claim for a sleep disorder was denied as there is no evidence showing it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and the preponderance of evidence is against his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination and requests additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the issues of bilateral hearing loss, bilateral wrist disability, sleep apnea, and residuals of meningitis has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus clearly and unmistakably pre-existed active duty service and was not incurred or aggravated by such service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disorder was incurred in service due to its pre-existing nature and progression during his military career.

The Board has decided that the claims of entitlement to service connection for right ankle, bilateral knee, bilateral foot, and back disabilities must be remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected right ankle sprain and posterior tibial tendonitis is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.