Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hip condition and a left ankle condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (bilateral knee condition).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for back disability (to include as secondary to bilateral knee disability) and bilateral ankle disability (to include as secondary to bilateral knee disability) have also been reopened and granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and a bilateral ankle disability due to insufficient communication with the Veteran.

The Veteran's arthritis was not shown to have manifested during service or within one year of discharge, and there is no evidence linking it to his military service, including herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for recurrent headaches and left ankle strain due to insufficient examination findings.,Service connection is denied for bilateral foot disability, chronic ear infections, and recurrent headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his ankle and sciatic nerve conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen her claim for service connection for right ankle disability, secondary to her service-connected pes planus. The decision finds that there is reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran and grants service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle disabilities due to further evidentiary development being required. The issues include determining whether his current ankle conditions are related to in-service injuries or if they are secondary to a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disorder, residuals of a right ankle disorder, and bilateral knee disorder have been denied as the evidence does not establish that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, Major Depression, and related disabilities are granted. The claims for CFS, fibromyalgia, and a skin disability are denied.

The claims for bilateral ankle, knee, and hearing loss conditions remain denied. The claim for tinnitus was granted due to new evidence submitted after the January 2015 denial.

The Veteran's initial rating for left and right ankle tendonitis with shin splints has been increased to 10 percent, but the appeal remains on for higher ratings.,The Veteran’s low back, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disorders are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including rating reductions and earlier effective dates. The specific claims include right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, chronic thoracolumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, major depressive disorder, right ankle posttraumatic degenerative changes, left hand scar, right hip degenerative joint disease, ear nerve damage, left wrist flexor tendinitis, right wrist flexor tendinitis, tinnitus, left knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, sleep disorder, arthritis of the wrists and hands associated with service-connected carpel tunnel syndrome, type II diabetes mellitus. The Board has not reached a decision on these claims at this time.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.,The Board has remanded several issues including: Degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, Left ankle peroneal tendonitis, Right ankle disability, Left foot disability (to include hammer toes and arthritis), Right foot disability (to include hammer toes and arthritis), and Skin disorder (other than eczema, to include basal cell carcinoma).

The Board has granted service connection for pelvic congestion-fibrosis syndrome with endometriosis, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to her complaints during service.,For all other conditions, the Board denied service connection due to lack of a current diagnosis or functional impairment equivalent thereto.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression) due to insufficient evidence in the current record.,Service connection is not granted as there are no medical opinions linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for hypertensive cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease, left ankle disability, and cerebrovascular disease. The claims are currently rated based on their current manifestations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, eye disabilities, erectile dysfunction, and left ankle disability due to lack of evidence supporting a direct relationship with service or secondary to a service-connected condition.