Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include service connection for various conditions, with some requiring initial compensable ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of left shoulder strain, right knee sprain, and left ankle sprain due to insufficient information regarding the nature and etiology of the acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran is also asked to provide any additional private treatment records related to his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and rating determinations. Effective date issues have also been addressed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right lower leg and ankle crush injury, as well as his request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Board found no current disability related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle disability, scar disability, anxiety, and heart condition due to lack of a VA examination. The issues are related to service connection.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the lack of records from the Veteran's period of active service from January 1971 to December 1973. The VA must attempt to obtain these records and provide a formal finding if they cannot be obtained.

The Board denied service connection and increased rating claims for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current ankle or knee conditions were related to her military service.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed for the Veteran's hearing loss, left ankle disability, headaches, and low back disabilities due to their worsening since his last VA examination. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral foot condition (Morton's neuroma) has been granted. Claims for bilateral ankle arthritis and bilateral shoulder arthritis have been granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 20% for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, and a separate 10% rating is granted for limited extension. The right ankle disability remains under review.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder and bilateral ankle disorder, both found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and issues being inextricably intertwined with other pending claims.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and right ankle disorder. The decision also noted that the Veteran's right ankle disability warrants a higher rating but did not assign any specific rating.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for several issues, including those related to a right breast cyst, disability of the right thumb and fingers, Raynaud’s syndrome of the hands, spider veins of the thighs, and scar of the right thigh. The remaining issues were remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation during the periods of concern, as he was able to maintain several entry-level jobs.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his claimed conditions and active duty service. The Veteran needs to be examined by a VA examiner for each of his six claimed disabilities.

The appeal on most of the issues has been withdrawn and is dismissed. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, upper extremities, hypertension, gout, asthma, COPD, and right ankle disability have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his claims for right ankle disability and diabetes mellitus, type II prior to a decision being made. Service connection was granted for tinnitus but denied for sleep apnea, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, low back disability, neuropathy of left lower extremity, and neuropathy of right lower extremity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current diagnosis of hypertension began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle disability is denied because there is no evidence of marked limitation of motion at any time during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for migraine headaches is denied as there is no indication that his migraines have been productive of characteristic prostrating attacks.