Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not currently decided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability is not secondary to her service-connected knee disabilities and denied her claim for service connection. The issues of higher ratings for left and right knee disabilities, as well as TDIU, are remanded due to insufficient development.

The RO granted earlier effective dates of September 7, 2011 for separate compensable disability ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy caused by the Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee strain with internal derangement, as well as a right ankle collateral ligament sprain with internal derangement. The effective date of the grant is September 8, 2009.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, gastrointestinal disability, and kidney disability due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus is service connected. The remaining claims for right ankle disability, left hip and leg disabilities, back disability, bilateral hand disabilities, and PTSD are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the left ankle disorder and increased disability ratings for various knee, hand, and knee conditions, as well as asthma and PTSD with alcohol use disorder.

The Board dismissed the appeals for higher initial ratings and service connection claims related to right total knee arthroplasty, mechanical low back pain, DJD of the right hip, right ankle disability, PTSD, erectile dysfunction (secondary to physical disabilities), and right shoulder strain (secondary to physical disabilities).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left ankle and left foot problems due to insufficient examination reports and potential need for additional records.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal. The claims for low back disability, left ankle disability, and right foot disability are remanded.

The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities are remanded for further evaluation, including a new examination to determine the current level of severity. The case is also referred to the Director of VA Compensation Service for consideration of an extraschedular rating due to employment impact.

The Veteran's right ankle disability has been rated at 10 percent since July 1, 2005. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating as there was no more than moderate limitation of motion.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, and restoration of disability ratings for various knee and ankle conditions were denied. The appeal was remanded for further action on other issues.

The Board has denied service connection for right foot, ankle, and hip conditions due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service injury playing softball.

The appeal was dismissed because the Veteran's Substantive Appeal, which was received on August 25, 2016, was untimely filed. The deadline for filing a substantive appeal is within 60 days from the date of mailing the Statement of the Case or within one year from the date of the rating decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left shoulder disability. However, the claim remains denied as there is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the current condition and his period of service.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with arthritis, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with arthritis, and residuals of a right ankle fracture as there is no evidence that any claim was submitted prior to May 4, 2016.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, back disability, bilateral hip condition, bilateral knee condition, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability due to lack of in-service injury or disease. The dental claim is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating prior to August 14, 2015, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular requirements and that there was no evidence of unemployability due to his PTSD.