Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's left and right ankle splayed peroneal brevis tendons are etiologically related to service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disability, right ankle disability, and right hip disabilities. The issues on appeal are related to initial ratings assigned in a March 2013 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis is denied. The Board finds that there is no current diagnosis of a chronic digestive disability.,Service connection is granted for a compulsive eating disorder, as the evidence shows it pre-existed service and was aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gout of the bilateral knees and ankles are service-connected as they have been shown to be related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, left ankle disorder, left Achilles tendon disorder, and bilateral knee disorders were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service. The Veteran did not provide sufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between his current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board finds that the evidence is against a finding of current disabilities related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right foot disability existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying service connection for his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and failure to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance at a higher level of care, finding that he did not meet the criteria for anatomical loss or use of extremities as defined by 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(f).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination findings regarding pain on range of motion testing for the Veteran's left ankle disability. The claim is being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's initial rating for chronic left ankle strain with degenerative changes has been granted at a 10 percent level since May 6, 2014. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating during any part of the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back condition is presumed to have been incurred in service due to arthritis of the sacroiliac joints, which manifested within one year of separation from service. The bilateral ankle disability is found to be a current compensable disability and presumed to have occurred during service.

The Veteran's service connection for headaches, right knee scar, MDD, chronic cervical strain, DJD of the right knee post-repaired ACL and meniscal injury, chronic right ankle strain, and right foot pes planus, plantar fasciitis and callus of the great toe have been granted. The Veteran is currently assigned a 10% evaluation for his right knee scar.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a head injury, right leg/ankle condition, and cervical spine condition. The Veteran's claim was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain, left ankle/foot strain, and bilateral pes planus. Service connection was granted for low back disability (DDD with stenosis and dextroscoliosis), numbness in the left leg and foot, residuals of injury to the right leg, including hip, ankle, and foot, and residuals of injury to the left wrist, hand, and fingers.

The claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain SSA records, and no other specific reasons were provided in the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability and denied service connection for left ankle and tendonitis.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 20 percent for the right and left ankle disabilities from April 2, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service and have denied all of his claims.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, and right foot disabilities are related to his service. The Veteran's hypertension is also considered as being related to his service-connected conditions.