Ankle decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability has been rated at 10 percent since February 2, 2010. The Board found that the current severity of the disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent for the period prior to June 17, 2011 and as of September 1, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.,An effective date of November 20, 2009, was assigned for the grant of service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disability presents an exceptional disability picture with related factors such as marked interference with employment, and thus warrants a 20% extraschedular rating for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for joint pain in the shoulders, knees, and ankles as due to an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran's right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome is rated at 10 percent, effective September 21, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right ankle disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosed bilateral leg, ankle, or wrist disability. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee, left knee, and left ankle disabilities. The matter of TDIU is also inextricably intertwined with the currently open claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records, as well as issuance of a statement of the case regarding the lower back disability claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right hip condition and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and compliance with recent court decisions regarding ankle disability evaluations.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with the conditions found to be directly related to his military service. His ankle and foot disabilities are also considered service-connected.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disorder and gouty arthritis of the left ankle in February 1990. The Veteran's claim to reopen his gouty arthritis of the left ankle was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,Service connection for a right hip disorder is not granted because there is no medical evidence showing it is related to service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed due to herbicide exposure during service. His left lower extremity disability, including arthritis of the knee and ankle, is also presumed as related to his in-service injuries. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since March 23, 2011.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a left ankle disorder. However, the Veteran's current left ankle disorder is not related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his current disability levels.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was incurred in service and granted service connection for this condition. The issues of left ankle problem and right ankle problem are remanded due to a need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the right and left ankles is related to his active-duty service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches, finding that the Appellant's current condition is related to her service-connected PTSD. Service connection was denied for a bilateral ankle disorder.,Service connection was also granted for TDIU due to the combined effect of the veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination and obtaining outstanding medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's right foot disability does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on loss of use due to his symptoms and functional ability, which are considered equally well served by an amputation with a prosthetic.