Ankle decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for evaluation of his right ankle disability and entitlement to TDIU prior to April 21, 2014 due to inadequate development. The Veteran must be afforded a new VA examination for his right ankle disability and clarification on his employment history.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral knee condition, bilateral ankle condition, and sleep disorder due to insufficient examination reports.

The Veteran's arthritis, left shoulder disability, and other joint disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after service.,Service connection for a left shoulder disability was denied because the Veteran did not have a chronic condition in service or within the applicable presumptive period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding various service-connected disabilities, as well as for additional records to be obtained. The claims are not related to a specific exposure basis or the PACT Act.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination of the Veteran's left ankle, and additional evidence is needed before a final decision can be made.

Service connection for hypertension/high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and TMJ condition is denied.,Service connection for joint pain in the neck and bilateral foot condition with ankle pain is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left and right ankle disabilities to include arthritis, as well as DJD of the first metatarsophalangeal joints in both feet. The decision also noted that a compensable rating for hemorrhoids is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete development and requests for an SOC in several areas, including effective date claims, service connection for cerebellar ataxia, and reopening of a claim for generalized musculoskeletal pain.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals on all service connection claims except for right shoulder, right ankle, and right wrist conditions. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to procedural issues. The specific conditions at issue include bilateral pes planus and left ankle disability, which were rated under a direct service connection theory without any mention of exposure basis or the PACT Act.

The Board denied service connection for low back, left knee, left ankle, and left foot disabilities as the evidence did not establish a nexus to service.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability, right ankle disorder, and right foot disorder. The Board also denied service connection for left knee arthritis, calcaneal spur in the left ankle, and plantar spur of the left foot as these conditions did not manifest during or within a presumptive period following service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence for the issues of service connection and higher disability ratings. The VA will conduct further examinations and provide clarification on the nature and etiology of the disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for a right ankle disability and total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) due to inadequate medical opinions regarding functional limitations during flare-ups and after repetitive motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left ankle and back disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right ankle disability and right ear hearing loss, finding that there was no current disability in either condition and that any preexisting conditions were not aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current symptoms and an in-service injury.

Service connection for fibromyalgia, left elbow disorder, right wrist disorder, left wrist disorder, low back disorder, left hip disorder, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder is granted.,PTSD service connection claim is REMANDED.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis as secondary to his service-connected left ankle degenerative joint disease. The case is remanded for additional development regarding an initial rating for left ankle degenerative joint disease.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and right knee disability. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for heart disability, respiratory disease (COPD), cervical spine and thoracic spine disability, right wrist disability, and bilateral ankle disability remains pending.