Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran required aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically diabetes mellitus. The appellant's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance as an accrued benefit is being remanded.

The Veteran's left ankle disability was rated at 10% prior to February 22, 2019. Effective from February 22, 2019, the Veteran is granted a rating of 20%. The decision also addresses functional loss and other factors impacting the severity of her condition.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disorder is granted as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, lower back disability, neck disability, and bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate range of motion measurements in the August 2012 VA examination, and a new examination is requested for assessing functional impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation benefits were denied. The left ankle scars received a noncompensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for her service-connected bilateral ankle disabilities and for a TDIU. The case was previously before the Board in November 2017, where it was remanded for additional development including a VA examination to determine the current severity of her bilateral ankle disability.

The Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome, right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee limitation of flexion, right ankle limitation of dorsiflexion, and left ankle osteoarthritis are all found to have begun during combat service in Vietnam. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of left ankle and bilateral knee disorders, as the current evidence does not provide sufficient information on the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § § 1151 for Staph due to VA treatment is denied.,Service connection for a bilateral hip disability, left ankle disability, right eye cataracts, and OSA are all denied.,A rating higher than 10 percent for PB is denied, as the Veteran's condition does not meet the criteria for such a rating under the current regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ankle disability, finding that his pre-existing congenital defect was aggravated by service. The decision also remanded the issue of right ankle disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hand, knee, ankle, and lower back disabilities due to incomplete development of records. The AOJ is instructed to obtain any outstanding VA treatment records related to the Veteran's claimed conditions and attempt to identify and obtain private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar strain, right hip disorder, and right ankle disorder due to a lack of recent medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and bilateral hearing loss disability due to their withdrawal by the Veteran. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a left leg disability and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his right ankle disability, finding no current diagnosis of either condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral ankle and left shoulder disorders due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's complaints of ankle pain since service are noted, but the current status of his ankle disabilities is unclear.

The Veteran's ankle disorders have worsened, and additional VA examinations are needed to determine the current severity of her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that a higher initial rating of 20 percent is warranted for the Veteran's right ankle disability prior to February 19, 2019. However, from February 19, 2019 onwards, no higher rating than 30 percent is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen his claim for service connection of residuals of cellulitis of the left ankle has been dismissed due to his death.