Ankle decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis, abdominal group XIX muscle strain with spasms, allergic rhinitis, and ovarian cancer are all denied ratings in excess of the current 10 percent. The Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating for stress incontinence beginning October 15, 2018.,The Veteran's painful scars and facial rosacea are both denied ratings higher than the current 10 percent. The Veteran's surgical scars are also denied ratings higher than the current 10 percent. Bilateral ankle and foot cellulitis is not rated as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The effective dates for service connection of allergic rhinitis, major depressive disorder, and stress incontinence have all been denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claims for right ankle, right foot, left foot disabilities, and psychiatric disorder. The claim of service connection for hypertension is denied as there is no evidence showing a continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's back and ankle disabilities are related to service or service-connected conditions.

A 20 percent rating for left knee meniscal tear (previously rated as residuals of a mid-shaft fracture of the left tibia) is granted from March 9, 2009. The issues of entitlement to service connection for other disabilities are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left hip degenerative joint disease is proximately due to his service-connected left ankle degenerative joint disease, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability. The claims for left shoulder and jaw disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and right ankle bursitis, finding no current disability or evidence of in-service injury. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there is no evidence that his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches and left ankle osteoarthritis, are deemed to preclude him from following substantial gainful employment. The Board has remanded the matter for further consideration by the Director of Compensation Services.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea has been granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, hypertension, and OSA were all denied as the preponderance of evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claimed bilateral lower extremity numbness, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability are not service-connected as they do not have a direct link to his military service.,The Veteran's claimed lumbar spine disability is also not service-connected.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, characterized by marked limitation of motion, is rated at a 20 percent rating since December 6, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral ankle disability, cervical spine disability (claimed as cervicalgia and torticollis), paresthesia left arm, headache condition, stomach condition, and gastrointestinal condition due to incomplete service records. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to her military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a left ankle disability due to insufficient evidence and improper VA treatment records association. The case will be reviewed again with additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for Reiter’s syndrome, low back disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability. The most probative evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, which was previously rated as 10 percent prior to June 1, 2015, is now rated at 40 percent effective June 1, 2015. The rating is based on ankylosis of the ankle with inversion deformity.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including determining if the appellant is a proper substitute claimant and obtaining additional evidence. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated again after these actions.

The Veteran's right knee DJD has been established through service connection and is considered for compensation.,New evidence received supports reopening of claims for right wrist condition, DMII (diabetes mellitus type II), and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for colon lymphoma, pancreatic disorder, and squamous cell carcinoma has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,Service connection is granted for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran had in-service noise exposure which led to current hearing loss and tinnitus.