Ankle decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including posttraumatic stress disorder, diabetes mellitus, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, right ankle sprain, healed right arm scar, and costochondritis, rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted his TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the left and right ankles, as well as Tinnitus and Right ear hearing loss. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's left ankle anterior impingement has been rated at 10 percent since May 2000. The Board granted a higher rating of 20 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA and headaches as secondary to OSA. The back condition, acquired psychiatric condition, and right ankle condition are remanded for additional development.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle disability, as it may be related to an in-service injury. The appeal will now proceed with obtaining additional medical evidence and scheduling a new examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left hand disability, right ankle disability, and hypertension. The Board also denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § § 1151 for rheumatoid arthritis due to lack of evidence showing VA negligence in treatment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot and ankle disabilities, right knee disability, left hand disability, and right shoulder disability. The issue of entitlement to service connection for gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) is also denied.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability and remanded the issues of initial ratings for left ankle disorder and thoracolumbar spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection, rating increases, and temporary total evaluations due to additional evidence being associated with the file.

The Veteran's appeals for various knee and ankle conditions, as well as service connection for a left shoulder disability, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claims.

The Veteran's left ankle contusion is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent, which represents marked limitation of motion. The Board has granted this initial rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bunions, psychiatric disorders, and other disabilities, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions or a link to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral ankles, feet, and right ear conditions due to new and material evidence. However, it denied his claim for service connection for pes planus as there was no increase in severity during service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration disability claim records. The low back disability case requires a VA medical opinion to determine if the extra lumbar vertebra is a congenital disease or defect, and whether it was aggravated during service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right and left ankle conditions were denied. The RO granted a 10% rating for the left ankle prior to June 17, 2010, and a 20% rating thereafter. A 20% rating was also granted for the right ankle from February 14, 2012, to June 13, 2016. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating on or after June 13, 2016, was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records.

The Veteran's left ankle sprain and degenerative joint disease, as well as his right total knee replacement with shin splints, are granted at a 20 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right wrist, left wrist, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities due to a lack of current diagnoses or functional impairment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on his left ankle, left wrist, and hemorrhoids disabilities are being remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed right hip, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle conditions as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a left tibia fracture.