Ankle decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection were submitted in December 2015, but the AOJ must attempt to locate and transfer any earlier VA treatment records from July 2013 to June 2014. The case is remanded due to incomplete evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and cervical spine disabilities, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his active military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The right 5th metatarsal fracture was rated as 10 percent disabling, PTSD was rated at 30 percent, and left ulnar neuropathy (previously rated as carpal tunnel syndrome) was also rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating for marked limitation of motion. The appeal for a higher rating has been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and further investigation. The effective dates for service connection are not being granted earlier than August 22, 2016.

The Board has granted increased ratings of 20 percent for the Veteran's residuals from left and right ankle reconstructions, finding that his symptoms more closely approximate marked limitation of motion.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's right ankle and right knee disabilities, including service connection claims and disability rating requests.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right ankle sprain was denied, and he received a 10 percent rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB). The decision does not address service connection issues.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ankle sprain and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral ankle disability, left eye disability, and right flank trauma with internal bleeding. The decision found that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a bilateral ankle and foot disorder due to lack of new and material evidence, as the submitted evidence did not show an in-service incurrence or relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted. The gout (claimed as bilateral knees, ankles, and feet) claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent.,The Veteran’s diabetes mellitus requires only a restricted diet and an oral glycemic agent, not requiring insulin or regulation of activities. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7913.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is rated at 20 percent based on moderate incomplete paralysis.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is also rated at 20 percent based on moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain and right foot disability have been granted service connection, with a rating of 20 percent for the right ankle sprain.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of February 1, 2010 for the separate grants of service connection and a 10 percent rating for limitation of left ankle motion and right ankle motion. The issues of increased ratings for ankle disabilities and service connection for PTSD and TMJ are remanded.

The Veteran's right ankle condition is found to have been incurred during service and has not fully healed, granting service connection.

The Veteran's service in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and Oklahoma Air National Guard resulted in no time on Federal active duty. The Board found that there is no evidence of an in-service event, injury or disease for his claimed disabilities.,The Veteran was denied service connection for sleep apnea as there is no probative evidence establishing an 'in-service event' during active service and the current disability may not be related to any alleged in-service event.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left ankle disorders are related to his active service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine was granted, with a 30 percent rating effective September 21, 2011. The issue of radiculopathy associated with this condition is also remanded.,Service connection for left knee disorder and right ankle disorder are both denied. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, sleep disability, peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson disease, circulatory disability, gastroesophageal disability, cervical spine disability, bilateral hip and knee disabilities, and bilateral ankle disabilities has been granted. The claims for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, bilateral upper extremity frostbite residuals, bilateral lower extremity frostbite residuals, bilateral foot disability, skin disability, and service connection for a lumbar spine disability have been denied.