Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is related to his active service and grants this claim. However, the Board finds no evidence of an in-service injury or disease for the left ankle condition and denies this claim.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, which is rated under the criteria for limited motion of the ankle (Diagnostic Code 5271), warrants a rating of 20 percent from September 10, 2010 to May 10, 2012 and from July 1, 2012 to the present. This is based on marked limitation of motion without ankylosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle strain does not warrant a compensable rating throughout the appeal period, as there is no evidence of limitation in range of motion or other disabling symptoms.

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy. Service connection for bilateral pes planus and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain are denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current left ankle osteoarthritis is not related to his period of ACDUTRA, and therefore denied service connection for a left ankle disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for stress fracture of the bilateral ankle, heel, and shin as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his in-service stress fractures.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back disability is not related to service, and denied his claim for service connection.,The Veteran was granted nonservice-connected pension benefits due to over 90 days of active wartime service and permanent total disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome with ulnar neuropathy resulting from VA treatment, but granted his claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability prior to October 31, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment for the period from March 31, 2008 to November 4, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation beginning December 5, 2008.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a right ankle disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic right ankle condition related to his military service.

From March 24, 2009, to January 12, 2017, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone were not of sufficient severity to produce unemployability.,From January 13, 2017, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to outstanding records and examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for submission of his TDIU claim to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including left shoulder, thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral upper and lower extremities, hip, leg/knee, right ankle, and foot disorders. The decision was based on the lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, as there is at least a 50% likelihood it was caused by his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for a VA examination to determine if his current right ankle and/or right foot disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right eye disability, but found that it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee, left hip, and right ankle disabilities are related to his active service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic disorder manifested by heart-related chest pain and a chronic bilateral leg/ankle disorder, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during service or within one year following discharge. The Board also found that any current disorders were not related to service-connected seizure disorder.