Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for clarification on the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA. The Veteran needs to provide his own personnel records and any SSA records related to his disability benefits from Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease with IVDS was denied a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and a rating in excess of 40 percent from that date onwards.,The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right knee was denied a higher than 10 percent rating throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's left ankle strain was denied a higher than 10 percent rating throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's right ankle traumatic arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating as it does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and left ankle condition due to new evidence being added to the record. The VA examiner is required to provide an addendum opinion regarding the onset of the left ankle condition during or related to active duty, as well as whether it clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service in December 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle, right hip, and left knee disabilities are aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. As a result, these conditions have been granted as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations. Her eligibility for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and verifying in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating for various conditions, including low back disorder, bilateral foot disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and bilateral hearing loss. Additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or events therein.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right ankle disability is related to service or his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's initial rating claims for left ankle sprain with arthritis and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran became unable to work due to his service-connected disabilities on September 15, 2012. His TDIU was granted effective from that date.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his service-connected cervical spine, left knee, and ankle disabilities have been dismissed. The appeal for PTSD with ADHD has also been dismissed. However, the Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of ovarian cyst removal has been denied. The Board has also remanded her claims for lower back, hip, knee, foot, and ankle disorders due to lack of sufficient medical evidence on record.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various knee, shoulder, back, and ankle disabilities have been granted. However, the Board has found that additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The TDIU claim will also be adjudicated.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral degenerative joint disease, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, respiratory disability and acquired psychiatric disability (specifically depressive disorder). The decision found that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active service.

The Board has denied increased ratings for left and right ankle disabilities, finding that the Veteran's conditions do not warrant evaluations in excess of 10 percent. The appeal is remanded due to a claim for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral osteoarthritis and degenerative rotator cuff of the shoulders, bilateral osteoarthritis and degenerative labral tears of the hips, bilateral osteoarthritis of the ankles, and bilateral osteoarthritis of the feet. The Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his parachute jumps in service.

The Veteran's appeal for chronic fatigue was withdrawn. The claim for a neurological disorder (claimed as tremors) is denied. Service connection is granted for right ankle disability, but the claim for left ankle disability and gout is denied.,An effective date earlier than March 30, 2012 for tinea corporis is denied. The Veteran's appeal was remanded on multiple issues including service connection for joint pain, bilateral foot disorder, and higher rating for tinea corporis.