Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability, finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of such a condition. The Board also granted service connection for tinnitus, noting that it manifested within one year of separation from active service.,Service connection was established based on the presumption of chronicity for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded several issues for further examination and opinion, including service connection claims related to various musculoskeletal conditions, hearing loss, vision loss, and skin conditions. The heart condition claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current heart condition or any relationship to service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, and generalized anxiety disorder is remanded due to unverified stressors and need for further examination.,Service connection for a right thigh disability is remanded as there are no current medical records linking the condition to service.,Service connection for a right ankle disability is remanded due to pre-existing conditions that may have been aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding right ankle disorder and thoracic spine disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation and opinion regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation of his right wrist disability was denied. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for his left ankle disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including low back, knee, ankle, and foot injuries, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations to determine if the Veteran's service-connected scleroderma disability manifests with other disabilities and whether any non-service-connected disabilities are proximately due or aggravated by his service-connected condition. The claim will be readjudicated after these examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD claim was denied for a rating in excess of 70 percent. His ossification of the right ankle and laceration scar of the right foot claims were also denied, but his heart disability and left knee disability claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for tinea pedis, but the other issues related to ankle, knee, and spine disorders are remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, bilateral pes planus, skin disability (claimed as a rash on forearm, elbow, calves and eyelids), and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his tinnitus, lumbar spine condition, right knee condition, left ankle sprain, and dermatitis. The Board will consider the evidence in light of the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence that suggests his back, nasal, and ankle conditions may be related to service. The Veteran will need to undergo additional examinations to determine if these conditions are indeed linked to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded due to the need to obtain STRs.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected right ankle strain with associated weakness of the peroneus longus muscle is denied. The Board also found that entitlement to TDIU prior to May 7, 2010 is not warranted.,The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for GERD, right and left hand peripheral neuropathy, right and left shoulder disability, right and left ankle disability, and residuals of a branchial cleft cyst excision. The Board also granted service connection for a low back disability (moderate spondylosis) and associated right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including gunshot wounds, hearing loss, tinnitus, joint diseases, and disabilities of the elbows, shoulders, wrists, ankles, knees, lumbar spine, cervical spine, esophageal cancer, skin disorders, heart issues, respiratory problems, and memory loss. The decision was based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied service connection for a disability of the third finger of the right hand and a right ankle condition. The claim for increased rating for PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension was denied as it did not have its clinical onset in service or within one year of separation from service and is not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran's left ankle disability was denied as it did not have its clinical onset in service or within one year of separation from service and is not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran's right ankle disability was denied as it did not have its clinical onset in service or within one year of separation from service and is not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran's right knee disability was remanded due to the need for a VA examination.