Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee and left ankle conditions as secondary to his service-connected right knee and right ankle conditions.

The Veteran's right ankle disorder is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's left eye disorder is currently rated at 10 percent. The RO must issue a Statement of the Case on this issue.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to substantiate the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a lumbar spine condition, bilateral knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, decreased visual acuity, lower extremity vascular condition, and anxiety disorder. The RO must attempt to obtain relevant VA treatment records from Columbia, Missouri and Leavenworth VAMC, clarify the transportation arrangements with the correctional facility, and schedule an audiological examination for the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral ankle condition, headaches, diabetes mellitus type II, sleep disorders, heart condition, jaw condition, and several neurological conditions. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition (PTSD) was granted service connection.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is denied as it preexisted service and was not aggravated during service.,Service connection for residuals of a left ankle fracture is granted, with the condition being shown to have begun in service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the right ankle condition and denied an increased rating for depression. The issue of entitlement to a higher rating for the lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a seizure disorder and left ankle sprain. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine, knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremities bilaterally, hip arthralgia bilaterally, cervical spine degenerative joint disease, torn meniscus of the knees bilaterally, cervical radiculopathy of the upper extremities bilaterally, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease were denied as they are not earlier than May 10, 2011.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral ankle disability due to new evidence received since the January 2014 decision.,Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if any of the claimed conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle impairment, which he claimed was secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder. The Board found that there is no evidence of a chronic left ankle condition in service and no competent medical opinion linking the current disability to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for further evaluation due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea and multiple joint conditions, prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional development. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, depression, alcoholism, left knee condition, right knee condition, left hip condition, right hip condition, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including the service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's bruxism, right ankle DJD/Arthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular DJD and osteoarthritis, and deviated nasal septum have all been granted service connection.,However, the issue of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ear disability beyond hearing loss and tinnitus (claimed as otitis media) remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and other disabilities have rendered her unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, leading the Board to grant TDIU.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for various lower back-related disabilities as secondary to other conditions, including neck, shoulder, knee, ankle, and foot disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for left shoulder, back, right ankle, and sleep disorder (to include sleep apnea) service connection. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information in the VA examinations and the need for additional medical records.