Ankle decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral ankle and knee disabilities, as well as his bilateral hearing loss disability, were not shown to have had their onset in service or within one year of discharge. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions due to a lack of evidence showing a direct link between the disabilities and service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle disability and hemorrhoids. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has dismissed the issues of increased disability ratings for lumbar spine and left ankle disabilities. The claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and right ankle disabilities are remanded due to lack of evidence addressing their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of reopening service connection for bilateral ankle, knee, and back disabilities due to incomplete information from a VA provider.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly assess the Veteran's right ankle disability, including conducting a new VA examination to obtain specific range of motion testing and addressing any flare-ups. The claim will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left ankle, right ankle, left hand, right hand, left knee, and right knee has been granted.,Service connection for osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lower back and neck have also been granted.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, back disability, and vertigo due to the lack of current disabilities.,There is no evidence of any current disabilities related to the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected left ankle disability is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the previous VA examination and the need for updated treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals for left eye inversion, hiatal hernia, and emmetropia with right exotropia were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a sleep disorder was granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of whether extraschedular considerations should be applied.

The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance for an ankle brace was denied, and the Board found no legal basis to reinstate her recurring status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as bilateral ankle and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The new examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension were denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service.,The Veteran's claims for right knee disability, right ankle disability, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (left foot), left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (right foot), gout right foot, and gout left foot were also denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service.

The Board previously denied service connection for a bilateral ankle disability. The Court has vacated this decision and the case is now remanded to obtain an opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's ankle disabilities are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for meralgia paresthesias, gout, and residuals of right ankle sprain were dismissed. The claim for service connection for a right ankle disability was remanded. Appeals for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left leg radiculopathy, and left shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tendonitis and degenerative joint disease remain in appellate status.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including a back disability, associated radiculopathy in both lower extremities, left shoulder disability, right ankle disability, and right tendon condition.

The Board has decided to remand several claims due to the addition of new VA treatment records, which were not reviewed by the AOJ. The Veteran's right ankle strain claim also requires an updated examination as his symptoms may have worsened since the last evaluation in March 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a right ankle and left ankle disability as they need more information from the Veteran regarding his medical history.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development of the record to determine appropriate disability ratings and TDIU.

The Veteran's service was not considered qualifying active service for nonservice-connected pension benefits due to his preexisting degenerative joint disease of the ankles, which led to his early discharge. He did not meet the 24-month minimum service requirement.