Ankle decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the right ankle does not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of any of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection cannot be granted for these disabilities.

The Veteran's right ankle disability was initially rated at 10 percent prior to June 23, 2014. Since then, a higher rating of 30 percent has been denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, was denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not currently have a current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current foot disabilities are not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection for residuals of cold injuries to the feet. The low back and hip disorders are found to be secondary to the Veteran's PTSD.

The Veteran was seen for complaints of headaches following a head injury in service and has presented competent and credible evidence that those headaches have persisted since service.,It is as likely as not that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and development of her service-connected right shoulder and right ankle disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of left ankle injury did not manifest during service or within one year after separation, and is therefore not related to his military service.,Regarding esophageal carcinoma, the Board finds no evidence of its occurrence in service or within a presumptive period due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's diagnosis was made decades after his discharge.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen her claim for service connection for a bilateral ankle disability, to include swelling. The reopened claim is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision and is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the conditions did not have onset in active service or are otherwise unrelated to service.

The Veteran's right ankle and knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found no direct service connection for the right ankle, as there was no evidence of a chronic condition within one year post-service. For the right knee, the Board noted that while the Veteran had an in-service injury, arthritis did not manifest until after separation from service and is not related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, right wrist, and left wrist disabilities due to insufficient reasons and bases in the previous decision. The Veteran must be afforded VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The case is being remanded for further development and medical clarification regarding the Veteran's claimed right knee, left hip, and left ankle disabilities. The AOJ will verify his duty status during all periods of service, attempt to secure any outstanding private treatment records, and obtain an orthopedic examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher initial ratings have been denied. The Board found no current medical diagnosis of a groin pull or evidence linking the rib fracture to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records of the Veteran's service with the Army National Guard and Reserves, as well as opinions regarding potential exposure to herbicides and whether his conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for status-post uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and denied the claims for obstructive sleep apnea, sinusitis, rhinitis, adenoid disorder, and left ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral ankle strain and bilateral knee strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right hip disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ankle disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current gastrointestinal disability, diagnosed as peptic ulcer disease, is caused by his use of NSAIDS to treat service-connected residuals of in-service ankle surgeries. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection is granted.