Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder abscess, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of current disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic kidney disease, increased ratings for inactive left tibia osteomyelitis and residuals of left tibia and fibula fractures with marked knee disability, and an increase in rating for left ankle degenerative arthritis. The evidence did not support a finding of active or recurrent osteomyelitis of the left tibia within the applicable claim period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a back condition, bilateral ankle condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral eye condition due to his failure to appear for VA examinations. A new examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The reduction of the disability rating for prostate cancer from 100% to 40% was not proper, and the 100% evaluation is restored as of June 1, 2014. The left ankle disability remains in excess of 20%. A new VA examination is needed for the left ankle.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for low back disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and hemorrhoids due to outstanding private treatment records from Dr. S.J.S.

Your initial rating for status-post internal fixation with residual hardware and pain of the left fifth metatarsal has been granted at a 30 percent level. The other issues have been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee joint pain, including neuropathy, and limited motion of the left ankle, including neuropathy. The evidence did not establish a current disability or medical relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to address the issues of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle disability, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for left foot and left ankle disabilities due to the lack of current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and several knee disabilities. The Veteran's VA treatment records from Little Rock VAMC are to be obtained, as well as any recent VA treatment records. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any current lumbar spine disability is related to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records and incomplete opinions regarding his right ankle and bilateral foot disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hip, shoulder, knee, ankle, and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities are not related to active service or any incident of service, including as due to a service-connected lumbosacral spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and ratings have been denied. The claim for dry eye syndrome due to PRK surgery was not reopened, while the remaining issues were denied.

The Board has denied service connection for dyslipidemia and has remanded the remaining issues related to spine conditions, joint disorders, hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, GERD, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including arthritis of the right and left ankles, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and sleep apnea syndrome. The appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claim for hypertension.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and higher disability ratings, except for the grant of service connection for depressive disorder on a reopened basis. The Veteran's claims for other conditions were not granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle disability as there is no current diagnosis and no evidence linking any present condition to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and remands several issues for further action.

The Board has remanded the issues of reopening service connection for right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right testicular spermatocele, left foot numbness and tingling, and right foot numbness and tingling due to lack of material evidence. The Veteran's lumbar back disability is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for right ankle strain with ventral calcaneal spur and bilateral pes planus, finding that no earlier pending claims existed.