Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for cervical spine injury, headaches, lower back/spine condition, left hip condition, and right and left ankle disorders are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The effective date of service connection remains unknown as no new evidence was received.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial compensable rating for hypertension prior to August 14, 2015 and to a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter is dismissed. The claims for service connection for left ankle disorder, right shoulder infraspinatus tear with adhesive capsulitis, and recurrent right ankle sprain with degenerative changes are remanded.

The Veteran's initial ratings for lumbosacral strain, left ankle strain, and right ankle strain are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a bilateral ankle disability is granted as new and material evidence has been submitted. The case is remanded to obtain an examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current bilateral ankle disability.

The Veteran's lumbago, sciatic nerve pain, and chronic right ankle pain were not related to her service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ankle disability, finding that there was no evidence showing chronic right ankle DJD in service or within one year post-service. The only competent opinion against the claim found no medical relationship between current right ankle DJD and service.

Service connection for depression is granted. The claims for higher initial disability ratings for right ankle and left knee disabilities, as well as the claim for an earlier effective date for left knee scar, are dismissed. Service connection for a right knee disability and a left ankle disability is remanded. The claim for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied. The claim for an increased rating for sinusitis is denied.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the knees, ankles, and hands as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities. The case is now REMANDED for additional examinations and opinions regarding various other issues, including service connection for right hand/wrist, bilateral ankle, hip, and shoulder disabilities; initial ratings for knee and lumbar spine disabilities; and a TDIU claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right ankle condition, left foot disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and alcohol dependence), and bruxism. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's skin conditions.

The Board has found the VA examinations inadequate and requires additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder, cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, bilateral foot, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee and left ankle disabilities, finding that the current disabilities are not related to the service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome with right lower extremity radiculopathy. The other claims were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a right elbow disorder and right upper extremity neuropathy are remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for various conditions, including right wrist sprain, lumbar strain, hip trochanteric bursitis, ankle sprains, and headaches, are also remanded.

The Board has determined that additional evaluations are needed for the Veteran's right ankle degenerative joint disease and scar of the left hand long finger due to incomplete examination reports and lack of information on testing for pain, flare-ups, and additional loss of range of motion.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected left ankle disability and scar of the left ankle were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for the left ankle disability or any compensable rating for the scar.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disorder as the evidence did not support a finding that it was incurred or aggravated by service, including his service-connected left hip bursitis.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a right ankle sprain is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has not jurisdiction over the issues of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and left ankle condition. The case is referred to the AOJ for further action.