Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient opinions regarding secondary service connection for ankle disorders and sleep apnea. The Veteran's left and right ankle disorders are being reviewed again, as is his claim for sleep apnea.

The appeal as to the request to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right ankle disability is dismissed. The appeals as to the claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities are granted due to new and material evidence being received.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate VA examination for the Veteran's left ankle condition and to determine its etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, TBI, left ankle injury, and pericarditis, prevent him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence indicates his disabilities make it impossible for him to engage in such employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left ankle disability and scar. The Veteran is required to provide any outstanding private medical records related to his treatment for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle condition and an increased rating for his low back disorder. The effective dates for granting service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a headache condition were also denied.,The Board found that there was no medical evidence to support the Veteran’s claim of a left ankle condition being incurred in service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 40 percent under the rating schedule, and a higher rating on an extraschedular basis is being remanded. The issues of TDIU and SMC are also being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the right ankle disability rating issue.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for arthropathy and joint pain, specifically involving the left and right ankles and the left and right hips, has been granted. The evidence now suggests that the Veteran may have psoriatic arthritis affecting his ankles and hips.,The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lung condition, claimed as secondary to medications taken to treat service-connected psoriasis, has also been granted.

The Veteran's left ankle pigmented villonodular synovitis is currently rated at 40 percent, effective June 1, 2017. The condition has been shown to cause marked limitation of motion without ankylosis or malunion.

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal, including those related to service connection for various disabilities. As a result, the Board dismissed these claims.

The Veteran's increased ratings for right and left knee instability, separate ratings of 20 percent for right and left knee meniscal injuries, initial compensable ratings for right and left great toe degenerative arthritis, and remanded issues regarding ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left ankle disabilities have been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder, bilateral wrist, low back, bilateral hip, left knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities. These conditions are deemed to be related to military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the right and left ankles, as well as a right foot disorder and a left foot disorder. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service injuries and medical opinions linking current diagnoses to service are considered.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for reactive arthritis of the right wrist and hand, left ankle, and GERD are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle disorders, but denied these claims as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and a left ankle condition due to inadequate examinations.

The Veteran's right hip disorder, left shoulder disorder, and right shoulder disorder are not service-connected. The cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder have also not been established as service-connected.,Service connection for the Veteran’s psychiatric condition has been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the current disabilities to service, except for hypertension which was not shown in service or within one year of separation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and a right ankle condition, as well as his claim for TDIU. The remand is due to insufficient examinations and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including left and right knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, hip disabilities, ankle disabilities, sleep apnea, inguinal hernia, psychiatric disorders, and dyslipidemia. The appeals are pending due to insufficient evidence or need for further evaluation.