Ankle decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable rating for hemorrhoids are remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of periods of active duty, examination by an appropriately qualified examiner regarding the left ankle disability, and obtaining private treatment records from Brandon Tricare Clinic.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for periodontal gum disease and hepatitis A have been denied. The Board has remanded the remaining issues due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran was not granted service connection for his claimed psychiatric, heart, sleep apnea, neck, upper extremity radiculopathy, head injury residuals, skin disorder, ankle, or knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination to determine if the Veteran's left ankle disability is related to service. The claim for increased rating of the left forearm scar remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations.,The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his service-connected disabilities, which include right ankle and fibula traumatic arthritis, PTSD with TBI, radiculopathy of the upper extremities, cervical spine spondylosis, flexor tendonitis of the wrists, and disc bulges of the thoracolumbar spine. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received sufficient to support the reopening of this claim.,An earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for PTSD prior to September 15, 2017 is denied as there was no pending unadjudicated claim for an increased rating for PTSD prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for updated examinations.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for further development and adjudication. The Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension, headaches, colonic diverticula (claimed as abdominal pain), low back disability, right knee disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, right ankle disability, right foot disability, and kidney disability are all remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, hip disorders, ankle disorders, and bilateral knee and hearing loss. The reasons for remand include needing to address whether obesity caused or aggravated these conditions due to PTSD or diabetes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating, finding that her service-connected disabilities did not prevent her from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to March 2015.

The Veteran's right ankle disability resulted in a TDIU from December 12, 2008. Prior to that date, the Board has remanded for further consideration of whether he is unemployable due to his service-connected right ankle disability on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence being added without a waiver, and the Veteran's representative requested this be done by the AOJ.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right ankle disability, including an old fracture of the lateral talar dome, has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for chronic headaches prior to February 2, 2019 is denied. The right ankle disorder issue has been remanded due to the need for an examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of right ankle fracture, finding that there is no competent and credible evidence to establish a nexus between his current right ankle disorder and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension is denied as there is no current diagnosis related to service.,Right wrist joint pain is denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis and no evidence of continuity of symptoms post-service.,Left ankle sprain is denied as the condition did not have its onset during active service and is not otherwise related to active service.,Left shoulder condition is denied for similar reasons as right wrist joint pain.,Right shoulder condition is denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis and no evidence of continuity of symptoms post-service.,Left knee chondromalacia of patella is denied because the Veteran's current condition did not have its onset during active service and is not otherwise related to active service.,Right knee chondromalacia of patella is denied for similar reasons as left knee chondromalacia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent for right knee osteoarthritis and left ankle strain, as well as his claim for TDIU due to inadequate VA examinations. The case is returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder was granted. The claims for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle, and for hip and low back disabilities were remanded.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for left ankle disability was denied as the evidence did not show any additional limitation of motion beyond what is already accounted for in the current 20% rating. The claims for service connection for right ankle and knee disorders were also denied due to lack of a causal relationship between these conditions and his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral lower extremity gout have been reopened, but the right ankle disability claim remains denied.,Service connection has been granted for bilateral lower extremity gout and right ankle disability.