Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The left ankle and left shoulder conditions are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle, left ankle, and right knee disabilities. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder NOS) is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for right hip osteoarthritis and granted increased ratings for left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities. The claim for secondary service connection for a low back disability was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for clothing allowances due to lack of evidence showing that his braces and creams caused irreparable damage or wear and tear to his clothing.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle psoriatic arthritis is granted as secondary to his service-connected psoriasis.,Service connection for pleomorphic adenomas, parotid hematomas is denied due to lack of a service-connected condition and no evidence linking the conditions to Gulf War environmental hazards.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle tendonitis, service connection for tinnitus, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD due to MST, anxiety, and depression) are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding no current disabilities and insufficient evidence to link these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and a compensable rating are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of various conditions, including left ankle sprain and torn ligaments, has been reopened. His right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent. The claims for lumbar degenerative joint disease, sacroiliac degenerative joint disease, right foot retrocalcaneal exostosis, and a left ankle condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's right ankle tendinitis is rated at 10 percent from September 19, 2012 to February 16, 2016. The case of an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the condition and service connection for a dental disorder are both remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran's right knee and right ankle disabilities for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and examining her leg length discrepancy.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, and tinnitus. The claims are granted as the evidence now shows that these conditions were likely incurred during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted, while her claims for right ankle disability, neuro rhinitis, sinusitis, and COPD are denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple claims for service connection, with the majority of issues being remanded due to incomplete records and need for further examination.,Service connection is sought for a variety of conditions including low back disability, right ankle/heel disability, nerve damage of the right foot, neck/cervical spine disability, neurologic impairment of upper/lower extremities, recurrent high fevers, chronic fatigue syndrome, cold intolerance, liver disability, jaundice, prostate disability, kidney disability, blood in urine, frequent urination, Parkinson's disease, spinal meningitis, and chronic headaches.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of his ankle condition was denied as the earliest date of receipt of a claim to reopen is July 16, 2008.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability, right ankle disability, and pulmonary tuberculosis due to lack of evidence establishing a nexus between these conditions and service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions as there is no evidence showing they began during or were otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The ratings for left and right ankle disabilities are denied, but the case is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The initial rating for CAD and diabetes mellitus, type II, is also denied.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for a right ankle disability, PTSD with alcohol dependence, and left ear hearing loss was granted. The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is remanded. The appeals for effective dates for service connection are denied.,Service connection for a cervical spine disability, right ankle disability on de novo basis, and PTSD with alcohol dependence at higher ratings are all remanded.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for right ankle disability, service connection for low back disability, and service connection for bilateral lower radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a left ankle condition and has determined that he is entitled to service connection based on evidence showing a current disability, an in-service injury, and a causal relationship between the two.