Ankle decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudicative action due to unassociated VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for fibromyalgia, including residuals of a right ankle disability, is pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, but his claimed right leg or hip disorder and right ankle disorder are not service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left ankle disability, including any additional limitation of motion due to pain or flare-ups.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident were due to his own willful misconduct, and therefore not incurred in the line of duty. As such, service connection for the claimed conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim for service connection for tendonitis of the right ankle, which had previously been denied in April 1992. The Veteran's assertions were considered but found insufficient to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, was not caused or aggravated by any aspect of service and did not manifest during service or within one year of separation.,The presumption of soundness is rebutted and the Veteran's left hip disability pre-existed his November 2002 active duty service.,The Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as chondromalacia patella degenerative changes, was not caused or aggravated by any aspect of service and did not manifest during service or within one year of separation from service.,There is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder that had its onset in service, manifested within one year of separation from service, or is otherwise etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, left ankle, and neck disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after service discharge. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of service connection on any basis.

The Board found that the degree of right ankle impairment caused by associated symptoms is adequately compensated for by the current scheduler rating, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for an extraschedular rating in excess of 20 percent for his post-operative right ankle disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder and entitlement to an initial compensable rating for ligamentous injury of the left ankle prior to March 18, 2016, and a rating in excess of 10 percent after that date.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for right ankle, knee, lower leg, upper leg, and hip disabilities are being remanded for additional development.

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.,Service connection was also granted for a lower back condition due to very mild/early changes of degenerative disc disease (DDD).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability was not incurred or aggravated in active service and may not be presumed to be service connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his occupational functioning. The issue of entitlement to an extraschedular rating will also be remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder condition, respiratory condition, and right ankle condition. The decision is based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arthritis and pes cavus in both feet and ankles, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected ankle disabilities and to determine if he qualifies for TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied as the evidence did not show that her service-connected conditions warranted higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of her service-connected bilateral knee and ankle disabilities.

The Board has decided the case requires additional development due to conflicting statements and evidence regarding the Veteran's ankle disability. The claim will be returned for further review.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination for the left knee disability and scheduling an examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed left ankle disability. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.