Ankle decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder degenerative joint disease, headaches, and sleep apnea have been granted. His right knee instability has also been granted a rating of 30 percent. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on his left ankle strain and degenerative joint disease as well as his right ankle strain are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional medical records, as well as an opinion on whether the Veteran's left ankle condition existed prior to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, left shoulder, and neck conditions due to VA treatment records. The decision on bilateral hearing loss and exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune remains pending.

The Veteran's low back, thoracic outlet syndrome (right side), and left ankle disabilities are all granted as service-connected.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and right foot numbness as secondary to service-connected chronic back strain due to insufficient medical opinions in the Veteran's case.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied service connection for low back, bilateral knee, left ankle, gout, skin disorder (claimed as rash), and cardiovascular disorders. The reasons given were that the Veteran did not have a pre-existing condition prior to service, there was no clear evidence of aggravation during service, and the current conditions are not related to service.,The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder is due to post-service employment rather than service.

The Board has remanded the claims for right ankle and right wrist disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as a right-hand disability, due to lack of evidence of current diagnoses during the appeal period.,There is no medical evidence showing that the Veteran currently has any of these conditions.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of ankylosis. The condition results in marked limitation of motion and instability.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee, left knee, right humerus, back, right ankle, left ankle, bunions of the bilateral feet, hammertoes of the right foot, hammertoes of the left foot, and pilonidal cyst conditions due to outstanding medical records from Kaiser Permanente and SSA records.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) due to her withdrawal of those claims during a July 2019 hearing. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The appeal for burn injury residuals of the right and left hands is dismissed. The claims for service connection for knee, ankle, and low back disorders are reopened and remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left knee and ankle conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these disabilities.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for left ankle arthritis from 30 percent to 30 percent, effective August 1, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cervical spine DJD and DDD, increased rating for right clubfoot with hammer toes and limited ankle motion since June 11, 2003, and TDIU prior to May 10, 2019. The Veteran is requested to provide release forms for relevant medical records and undergo VA evaluations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder, finding that there is no evidence of chronic disability related to his in-service injury and that any current condition is not due to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since his discharge from active duty in April 2005, and the Board has granted an effective date earlier than May 9, 2008 for the grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for breathing problems, neck disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, ulcerative colitis, pre-cancer of the colon (claimed as colon cancer), headaches, epigastric hernia, and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.