Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for the Veteran's claimed low back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities. The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that any diagnosed conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the current nature and severity of his right knee, bilateral ankle, and bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his thoracolumbar spine disability and whether he has a current right ankle disability. The issues of service connection for a right ankle disability and rating for the thoracolumbar spine disability are also on appeal.

The Board denied all the issues on appeal, including service connection for various conditions and reopening of a claim related to migratory polyarthritis or Reiter's syndrome. The Veteran did not have diagnosed left knee, left ankle, psychiatric, or heart disorders.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and therefore he is not entitled to a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected left ankle disability, finding that the symptoms and functional impairment were adequately captured by the current 10 percent schedular rating.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral ankle disability and dry eye syndrome, finding that her current conditions are not related to her military service.

The Veteran's left ankle fracture was initially rated as noncompensable from April 1, 2013 to September 7, 2015. From September 8, 2015 to February 28, 2017, a rating of 10 percent was granted. Since March 1, 2017, the Veteran is entitled to a 20 percent rating for his left ankle fracture.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to an inadequate VA examination and issues being inextricably intertwined.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for a right shoulder disability, a right ankle disability (previously characterized as a bilateral ankle disability), and for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence received since the May 2007 rating decision supports these claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and residuals of a left ankle injury to include pain, finding no evidence of chronicity or continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to her military service and granted service connection.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records, scheduling examinations, and providing VCAA notice.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back condition, cervical spine condition, bilateral hip condition, bilateral knee condition, left upper extremity neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, and radiculopathy. The Board also found that a right ankle disability is not secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current condition of the feet, ankles, or knees in service or for many years thereafter and concluded that these conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for entitlement to service connection for right ankle degenerative joint disease was denied. The August 1996 rating decision denying service connection for a right ankle disability is not shown to have been clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing records and incomplete examination report. The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ankle and foot disabilities is pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of her claimed conditions.