Ankle decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diverticulitis with IBS, prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has ordered remand to address the relationship between his PTSD and alcohol use disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for hemorrhoids and GERD have been dismissed. The appeal for tinnitus has been partially granted with a 10% rating prior to February 27, 2018, but denied thereafter. Appeals for wrist disabilities, knee disabilities, ankle disabilities, and cervical spine disability are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a left foot disability, finding no current diagnosis and insufficient evidence to establish service connection.,The Veteran's claims for left wrist and right ankle disabilities are remanded due to lack of recent medical records.

The Board is remanding the claims to obtain additional service records, including any verified periods of active duty for training and inactive duty for training in May 1992. The Veteran's right ankle and right foot disorders are currently under consideration.

The Board denied initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for bilateral shoulder disabilities, lumbar strain, degenerative disc disease (cervical spine), chondromalacia of the left knee, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant higher ratings based on limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD due to military sexual trauma (MST). The VA will attempt to verify the alleged stressors and schedule a psychiatric examination to determine if the diagnosed conditions are related to in-service events.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back, right hip, and left ankle disorders due to in-service treatment. The Veteran's leg length discrepancy was less than 1.5 inches, which limits the ability to establish a relationship between his knee disorder and other joints.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left great toe ulcer and subsequent amputation, foot ulcer, segmental joint dysfunction and lumbago with sciatica, left knee osteoarthritis, left ankle degenerative joint disease, and pseudofolliculitis barbae as secondary to his service-connected right knee and ankle disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: determining if the Veteran's right ankle disability is related to his service-connected left leg, left ankle, and right foot disabilities; and assessing the severity of his residuals of a left ankle injury. These decisions require further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's left ankle disability with residual scarring is rated at 20 percent, the highest rating available under DC 5271.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and a rating for allergic rhinitis. The Veteran's hypertension is not considered to have started during his qualifying period of service or within one year after it ended.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities. The issue of service connection for a left knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and review of his treatment records.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension. The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus is granted, while his claim for diabetes mellitus, type II, is also granted. The issue of aggravation of bilateral pes planus is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate or incomplete examinations, and for a new examination of her bilateral knee and ankle disabilities as well as her keloid scar.

The Veteran's left and right ankles are rated at 20 percent each due to marked limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ankle disability is related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting left ankle disability was aggravated by his service. A VA examination is needed to address this issue.

The Veteran's dizziness and sleep disorder are presumed to be due to service in the Southwest Asia theater. The left ankle sprain is rated at a 10% disability level.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to a compensable rating for shell fragment wound, abdomen, postoperative laparotomy and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals, shell fragment wound, right ankle are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.