Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for both conditions are inadequate and remands the cases for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for low back pain secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus, bilateral leg shin splints, and bilateral ankle strains. The effective date of the grant of service connection for bilateral pes planus is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ankle disorder is causally or etiologically due to injuries sustained during service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for a left ankle disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to conflicting findings in his recent VA examination and the need for updated medical records. The low back disability, left ankle disability, and left fibula fracture residuals are all subject to further evaluation.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and granted it. The case is remanded for further examinations to determine the current severity of residuals of left foot fracture, as well as for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine condition, bilateral ankle condition, and right foot condition are at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected left foot condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral senile cataracts, GERD, nonallopathic lesions of the left fifth and sixth ribs, and residuals of a right ankle fracture. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia and a rating of 10 percent for the right ankle disability, but denied a higher rating for the ankle condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA and private treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder, migraine, neck disorder, and back disorder are denied. The right shoulder and left ankle disorders have been remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for a right foot disorder due to lack of current disability. The case is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's right ankle disorder.

The Veteran's bilateral knee and left ankle disorders are found to be related to his military service, with the knee disorders potentially secondary to improper footwear or a change in gait due to his left ankle disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant, who was substituted as the claimant.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a vision disorder, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to issues regarding timeliness of his Substantive Appeal and the need to obtain additional medical records.

The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional private medical records from Southern WV Health System Madison Medical and Dr. R. M.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including those from private rehabilitation treatment, and to provide a new opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee disability and an increased rating for residuals of right ankle sprain. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran’s current right knee or right ankle disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for neck injury, right ankle condition, sleep problems, and back disability due to lack of a causal nexus between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right ankle is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that there is not enough evidence to warrant a higher rating.