Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for right leg and left leg shin splints. The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, as well as the right shoulder disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inconsistencies in the evidence, including lack of recent VA examinations and treatment records. The Veteran will need to provide updated VA Form 21-8940 upon remand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to incomplete records, inadequate medical opinions, and insufficient examination reports. The claims will be reviewed after obtaining additional information and evidence.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for residuals of a left ankle fracture, but the issue of service connection for a left ankle muscle impairment injury or disability is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability, right ankle disability, headaches, and depression have been reopened. Service connection is granted for PTSD.,Service connection has also been granted for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and requests for rescheduling. The Veteran's gout, right knee disabilities, and hip disability are all being reviewed for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his left ankle strain and eligibility for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation. The effective date issue remains unresolved.

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

The Board has decided to remand six separate claims of service connection for various disabilities, including a right hand broken finger disorder, low back disorder, left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, right shoulder disorder, and hypertension. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's left ankle disability has been rated at 20 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating. The appeal is now limited to whether a higher schedular rating can be assigned.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and right ankle condition, finding no new and material evidence to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder, hepatitis, and meningitis in April 2018. The decision was based on the absence of current diagnoses or a causal relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, cervical spine disability, right ankle disability, and left knee disability. The Veteran's left wrist disability is denied as it is not related to service.

The Veteran's gout has been rated at 60 percent since the grant of service connection, effective prior to October 1, 2019. From October 1, 2019 onwards, a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he did not complete the necessary VA Form 21-8940 and there was insufficient evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical strain and left ankle sprain as they are not adequately addressed in the previous examinations. The VA is instructed to obtain treatment records, schedule new examinations, and readjudicate the claims.

Service connection is granted for pseudofolliculitis barbae. Service connection is denied for hemorrhoids, disorder related to an in-service PPD test, and right ankle disorder. The claim for TBI remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a left hip disability and lumbar spine disability, as secondary to his service-connected left ankle traumatic joint disease, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a relationship between these disabilities and the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right and left ankles have been denied. The case has been remanded to consider entitlement to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities need to be evaluated for eligibility in acquiring specially adapted housing or special home adaptation grant.

The Veteran's right foot calcaneal spur has been granted a 30 percent rating effective July 10, 2006. The other claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been granted.