Ankle decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities have been denied. The appeal is remanded for consideration of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tension headaches began during active service and are now granted.,An earlier effective date for the grant of a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim of whether new and material evidence has been submitted sufficient to reopen the left ankle disability was dismissed. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right ankle arthralgia, bilateral foot condition (flat feet), and erectile dysfunction were all granted. However, the severance of service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome from July 13, 2005, to October 21, 2008, and right ankle arthralgia was improper; restoration of service connection is warranted. The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee prior to October 21, 2008, and an evaluation greater than 10 percent thereafter, as well as his claim for a compensable evaluation for right ankle arthralgia prior to October 21, 2008, and an evaluation greater than 10 percent thereafter, were remanded. The Veteran's claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction was also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's left ankle disability, finding that there was no competent evidence linking his current symptoms to service or within one year of separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of residuals of a fractured nose, right ankle disability, and left arm burns are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bronchitis.

The Veteran's gout of the left ankle and bilateral feet, as well as his radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, are being remanded for further evaluation due to recent worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's request to reopen service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae was granted. Effective March 1, 2012.,Claims for effective dates earlier than March 1, 2012 for left ankle sprain and status post right inguinal hernia repair with residual scar were denied as there was no CUE in the prior decisions.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for a left eye scar remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with previous examination requirements for assessing the severity of the Veteran's right ankle disability.

The Veteran's right elbow disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,For his left thumb instability and right ankle tendonitis with arthritis, new VA examinations are required to address functional impairment during flare-ups or on repetitive use.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's glioblastoma multiforme of the brain, specifically addressing a newspaper article submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected right ankle degenerative joint disease with chronic pain. The RO has not reviewed all of the VA treatment records, and they need to be obtained.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of frostbite of the hands, left ankle disability (claimed as ankle swelling), and residuals of frostbite of the feet have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's depression is granted as secondary to her service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate for rating purposes and requires a new examination to determine the nature and cause of any left knee and right ankle disabilities. The issues of entitlement to service connection for these conditions remain on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hip, bilateral ankle, and right knee disabilities as secondary to his service-connected multi-level lumbar degenerative disc disease and joint disease with myofascial pain and scoliosis.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and the Board is remanding for further development regarding whether his degenerative arthritis contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of her service-connected lumbar spine, right ankle strain, left ankle DJD, and urinary incontinence are not properly before the Board due to a procedural issue. The issues related to these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed all appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's left ankle fracture with left fibula fracture is currently rated at 10 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.,The Veteran's postoperative left foot fracture is currently rated at 10 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.