Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient examinations and need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right ankle and foot have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for his acquired psychiatric disorder has also been denied. The Board found that his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to the need for additional medical evidence and clarification of treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left ankle disability and bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found no current disability of the left ankle, and that the Veteran’s hearing loss did not meet VA criteria for compensation benefits.,For the knee issues, the Veteran's claim is remanded as there are insufficient examinations to determine if his current disabilities are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. A VA examination is needed to determine if these disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including TBI residuals, PTSD, hearing loss, ocular migraine headaches, cervical spine disability, skin cancer, and others, were denied as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it began during service. Service connection for a right ankle disability was denied due to insufficient medical evidence linking current symptoms to an in-service injury.

The Board has remanded three issues: increased ratings for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and right ankle disabilities, and entitlement to a total rating based on individual employability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating and TDIU are being remanded due to conflicting findings regarding the severity of his right ankle disability, including whether he has ankylosis. The case is also inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to new evidence received since the last decision. The RO must issue an SSOC with a review of all new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar strain disability and denied service connection for a left ankle disability. The lumbar strain is related to the Veteran's 1973 back injury during service, while there is no evidence linking the current left ankle disability to his in-service Achilles tendon injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, and right knee disability are granted. The claim for TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The petitions to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, secondary to service-connected bilateral foot disabilities, were granted. However, these issues are still pending as they have been remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including deviated septum, broken nose, loss of smell, difficulty breathing, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as PTSD, anxiety, depression), diverticulitis, bilateral knees, and bilateral ankles. The Veteran will be scheduled for examinations to address these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including lumbar spine disorder, left-leg residuals of broken leg, right-knee disorder, right-ankle disorder, left-ankle disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia disorder, right-lower-extremity radiculopathy, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression) are not service-connected.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders, including right shoulder disorder, left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, back disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right ankle disorder, left foot disorder, and right foot disorder are all denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for costochondritis is also denied due to lack of objective medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and right ankle conditions due to in-service injuries. A VA examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine and left ankle disability, as there is insufficient rationale provided in the VA examination reports. The Veteran needs additional opinions to address his contentions regarding service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability is considered a contributory cause of his death.