Ankle decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining legible copies of service personnel and treatment records, arranging for a VA examination to determine the relationship between his diabetes mellitus and service, and scheduling an aid and attendance examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and the provision of outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an audit of his VA disability pension and service-connected benefits, as well as a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and addressing whether his in-service injury was incurred in line of duty. The issues on appeal will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the receipt of a request for withdrawal prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder were not granted. The Board found no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after separation, and the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that any current disability was related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including low back, right hip, right leg, and right ankle conditions are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and readjudication of the claims. The AOJ will consider all evidence received since the last Supplemental Statements of the Case (SSOC) in conjunction with prior evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral knee and ankle disorders have been rated based on their current severity, with the left knee receiving a higher rating due to its more severe symptoms.

The Veteran's additional left ankle disability is attributed to her own noncompliance with medical instructions, not due to VA treatment. The Board finds that the Veteran has not met the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected diabetes mellitus, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claims for right ankle, right knee, and low back disorders were denied. The claim for a low back disorder was reopened but remains denied as there is no evidence of arthritis within one year of service separation or that the current condition is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities. The effective date of the grant is set at May 22, 1995.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the claims for increased ratings for right ankle and right foot disabilities can be decided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outdated examination records and outstanding medical evidence.

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

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding increased ratings for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, right ankle degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine degenerative changes, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic branch), right shoulder degenerative joint disease, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, tinnitus, heart disorder, and other related conditions. The appeals are dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's blood clots, left leg are at least as likely as not proximately due to his service-connected posttraumatic degenerative joint disease, left ankle. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for most of his claimed conditions and finds no evidence to support service connection for these disorders. The only condition found by the Board with a possible link to service is dementia, but this was many years after service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left hip disability, and therefore, this claim is denied.,Service connection for low back, bilateral knee, right hip, and bilateral ankle disabilities are not supported by the evidence. The preponderance of the evidence shows these conditions were due to post-service injuries from working in manual labor as a truck driver, roofer, and construction worker.