Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if any current disabilities of the bilateral hips, bilateral knees, and right foot, big toe are related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and left ankle disorder due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further development including a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of his right foot, finding that he does not meet the criteria for SMC based on service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hand condition and bilateral foot pain are now granted service connection. However, the claim for a bilateral knee condition is remanded due to conflicting diagnoses.,Service connection has been established for chest pain as a result of an in-service diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and conflicting evidence in some cases. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for his left knee, bilateral ankle, and bilateral shin splint disabilities are remanded. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been denied. The Board found no current disabilities for the claimed conditions, or that any were incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disorders.

The Veteran's service connection claims for headaches, chest congestion and body aches, right ankle disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy (secondary to lumbar spine disability), right lower extremity radiculopathy (secondary to lumbar spine disability), and a 10% rating for right thumb/hand disability have been granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and related neurological impairments in the extremities, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and anxiety, were denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left ankle osteoarthritis is related to his service-connected left foot disability and if it was aggravated by that condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle conditions due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran is also being asked to provide a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected hip disabilities, as well as an audiologist evaluation to determine the current severity of his hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ankle, right ankle, headaches, and bladder condition issues due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran is requested to provide lay statements from herself and others who have first-hand knowledge of her in-service and post-service symptomatology.

The Veteran's right ankle condition is not caused or aggravated by her service-connected right knee disability.,Obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by the Veteran’s active duty military service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to the need for a VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral ankle conditions.

The Board has remanded several claims for increased ratings and service connection, including those related to the Veteran's bilateral shoulder, elbow, cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, hip, knee, ankle disorders, sinusitis, TBI, tension headaches, PTSD, and TDIU.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's right ankle disability, finding that it is productive of moderate limited motion but not ankylosis or other severe impairment.

The Board has granted a waiver of recovery for the overpayment of Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) education benefits in the amount of $3,076.27 due to financial hardship and undue financial hardship would result from repayment.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right ankle disability due to inadequate examination in July 2016, and requests additional development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, warranting SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. However, he does not qualify for SMC based on housebound status due to his TDIU.