Ankle decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for systemic arthritis, lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral heel disabilities, and bilateral ankle disabilities. The decision also remanded several issues including service connection for a dental condition.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and development are needed to properly assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including their current severity and any functional impairment.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for thoracic strain, IBS, and narcolepsy are remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities are rated at 60 percent, and evidence shows they preclude her from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. TDIU is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and remand are related to his service-connected conditions, specifically left talus bone degenerative changes, a left ankle scar, and PTSD. The effective dates will be determined based on the findings from the examinations.

The Board denied service connection for tendinitis in both the left and right ankles, finding no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder was denied. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis of the wrists, hands, left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee were all denied.

The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia patella is granted an initial compensable disability rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia patella is denied an initial compensable disability rating.

The Veteran was granted service connection for various conditions, including anxiety disorder and depression, lumbar strain and intervertebral disc syndrome, right lower extremity sciatica, and bilateral hearing loss. Service connection was denied for cervical spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability.

The Veteran's application to reopen a claim for service connection for sprain, both ankles is granted. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied. The claims of increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis (lumbosacral disability), cervical strain, and coronary artery disease (CAD) are remanded. The claims of service connection for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left hand disability, and right hand disability are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient examination findings and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's bilateral ankle disabilities. The VA will arrange for new examinations to determine the nature, etiology, and severity of the Veteran's ankle disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his left ankle disability, finding that it is not related to his military service or caused by his service-connected big toe disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU. The right knee issues are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to procedural defects and the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, effective November 22, 2016. The lower back disability was granted service connection in February 2017 with a 20 percent rating and an effective date of November 22, 2016.

The Veteran's application for clothing allowances for his service-connected ankle and knee disabilities from 2014 to 2015 was denied due to lack of timely filing. The Board granted a clothing allowance for the back brace used in 2015, finding that the Veteran provided sufficient evidence of damage caused by the braces.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities have also been reopened.

The Veteran's combined disability rating of 90 percent from June 18, 2015 is denied. The Board finds the Regional Office properly calculated the Veteran’s combined rating, which is now 80 percent effective June 18, 2015.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for his right ankle medial malleolar fracture, status post ORIF, with a scar is denied. However, the Veteran's service connection claim for left foot plantar fasciitis as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disorder is granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for right ankle arthritis was denied, as the symptoms are adequately addressed by the current rating criteria.,A separate rating for osteomyelitis under DC 5000 was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an extra-schedular rating for his right ankle arthritis.