Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and left ankle disability, to include as secondary to a right ankle disability due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that additional medical examination and opinion are necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including bilateral foot, shin splint, left-hand, ankle, knee, and shoulder conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and right ankle open bimalleolar fracture were denied as there was no evidence to support a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee and right ankle disabilities, finding that there is continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for right knee instability is denied as the evidence does not more nearly approximate moderate recurrent instability or subluxation. The issue of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disability is granted, subject to controlling regulations governing the payment of monetary awards.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient evidence in some areas, particularly regarding the severity of service-connected knee disabilities and the etiology of foot and ankle conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, gastrointestinal issues, and foot/ankle/hip conditions related to Gulf War service are being remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The right ankle claim requires an examination to determine if current symptoms are related to in-service events, while the respiratory disability claim needs clarification of the diagnosis and whether it is related to Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, but further development is needed including obtaining Social Security records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, an increased rating for right ankle sprain, and a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. Additional development is needed including verifying ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA dates, obtaining SSA records, and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination for the right ankle disability. The Veteran's service records show complaints and possible treatment, but further evaluation is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and a need for updated VA treatment records. The Veteran's left ankle disability is being evaluated again.

The Board has remanded the claims for left hip arthrosis and left ankle arthritis due to incomplete testing in one of the VA examinations. The Veteran's current left ankle condition is also being reviewed for a causal relationship with his service-connected left foot disability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The claims of service connection for left thumb, right ankle, and right knee disorders were reopened due to new evidence received since the March 2003 decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, hearing loss, right ankle sprain, HSV II, and tinnitus was granted. The rating assigned for the right ankle sprain is 10 percent, while the ratings for hearing loss, HSV II, and tinnitus are denied.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, which included a malleolar fracture, was granted an evaluation of 10 percent prior to March 27, 2019 and 20 percent thereafter. The decision is based on the limitation of motion in the ankle.

The Veteran's chronic left ankle strain/sprain is granted a 10% rating prior to April 21, 2015 and since then. Service connection for status post left varicocelectomy is granted.

The Board has granted effective dates of August 3, 2012 for both the TDIU and DEA benefits based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and PTSD, have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 8, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of May 20, 1993.