Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle strain is related to his active service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The claim for service connection of left ankle disability, bilateral pes planus and scalp condition is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle strain is related to his active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability, nerve damage in the left foot as secondary to a left ankle disability, and a back disability, either directly due to service or as secondary to a left ankle disability.

The Board has determined that a new medical examination is required for both the Veteran's service-connected Allergic Rhinitis and Left Ankle Sprain due to potential functional loss not accounted for in previous examinations, as well as outstanding private and VA treatment records.

The claim for service connection of a right ankle disability is not reopened, and the claim for an increased rating of PTSD is granted to a 50 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disability is due to his active service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including dyspnea, vision disorder, stomach disorder, sleep apnea, skin disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of a disease or injury in service that caused these conditions.

The Board has denied all service connection claims, finding no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle condition, right ankle condition, and PTSD.,An effective date prior to January 26, 2016, for the grant of service connection for a healed right fifth metacarpal fracture was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral flat feet, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, and a left knee condition secondary to the claimed flat feet condition due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle sprain disability is rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of ankylosis or marked limitation of motion.

The Veteran's right knee strain is granted as secondary to service-connected bilateral shin splints.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Right ankle strain and residuals of right ankle fracture with surgical repair are denied as secondary to two service-connected right foot disabilities.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, right knee, left knee, and right ankle disabilities. The claim for service connection for a low back disability is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for right trapezius muscle strain prior to April 21, 2017, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is also remanded. Her claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right hip acetabulum labrum tear is also remanded.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of the residuals of a sprained right ankle, left and right PFS, and PTSD due to final denials prior to May 14, 2014.,VA received claims for these conditions after May 14, 2014, which were reopened based on new evidence. The effective dates are set at the date of receipt of the reopened claims.

The appeal regarding the reduction of a right ankle disability rating from 10% to zero percent, effective November 18, 2015, is dismissed as moot because the rating was restored in a later decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of PTSD, service connection for left ankle with jungle rot, right ankle disability, and spinal stenosis left cripple broken back are pending. The Veteran also has outstanding NODs regarding individual unemployability (TDIU) and special home adaptation. The claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is remanded due to the submission of additional medical records.

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to properly adjudicate the service connection claims for various disorders, as the current examination did not consider all relevant evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claim for left ear hearing loss is granted, while claims for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), heart disorder, osteopenia, cervical spine (neck) disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability are denied. The Veteran's service connection claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as the right ankle disability and tinnitus were rated appropriately, with a separate rating granted for painful scars. The Board found no basis to grant higher ratings.