Ankle decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for a left ankle disability was reopened and remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Board has denied service connection for a right hip disability, left ankle disability, and sleep disorder. The claim for an initial compensable rating for TBI is being remanded.,No opinion regarding the relationship between irritable bowel syndrome and service-connected conditions was provided in this decision.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, bilateral feet and ankles disability, and bilateral knee disabilities. The VA will obtain further medical opinions on these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions result in loss of use of both lower extremities, requiring her to rely on a walker or wheelchair for mobility. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing due to this condition.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral foot condition is dismissed.,Your claim of service connection for breathing condition, to include on a secondary basis, has been remanded. The Board needs further medical evaluation and opinion regarding your breathing condition.,Your claims of service connection for bilateral ankle condition have been remanded. The Board requires additional evidence or examination related to these conditions.,Your claims of service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy have been remanded. The Board needs further medical evaluation and opinion regarding these conditions.,The appeal of your claim of service connection for right and left hip conditions is denied as there is no competent evidence that you currently have such disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including cervical spine disability, radiculopathy pain, diabetes mellitus type II, and ankle disabilities. The Veteran is also required to provide additional medical records for consideration.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability ratings for left forearm injury with scar and left third, fourth, and fifth finger condition with scars are denied.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for neck injury and sprain, left elbow condition with a scar, arthritis of the hands, and arthritis of the ankles.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and inadequate VA examinations. The issues of service connection for various disorders are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5271 for moderate limitation of motion. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a right ankle disability and determined that he is entitled to service connection based on evidence showing that his current right ankle arthritis had its onset during active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his right ankle disorder, skin disorder (other than ichthyosis vulgaris, tinea versicolor, and onychomycosis), and heart disorder. The issues are related to exposure in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ankle disability as there is no evidence of current disability or in-service injury.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including service connection for various conditions and exposure basis determinations. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed to determine if new evidence supports reopening of the claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right wrist, back, right ankle, and skin disabilities due to scheduling issues and the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle condition, neck condition, pelvic tumors, and diabetes mellitus due to missing service treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension. The cases of low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, and left ankle disorder are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back disorder, bilateral lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremity sciatic nerves, tinnitus, and GERD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's right ankle sprain and chronic lumbar strain claims, as the current VA examinations do not comply with Correia v. McDonald (2016) requirements and are outdated.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance due to use of custom insoles/sling supports was denied as shoes are not classified as articles of 'clothing' that can be damaged by wear and tear for purposes of a VA clothing allowance.

The Veteran's service connection claims for multiple disabilities were denied, and the effective dates assigned are not earlier than February 27, 2017.,VA did not grant an earlier effective date for SMC at the housebound rate as the Veteran did not have a single service-connected disability rated at 100% prior to February 27, 2017.