Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, and left foot disabilities due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are being reviewed in light of this new information.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right hip, left knee, right knee, and right foot disabilities due to their potential secondary relationship with a service-connected left ankle disability. The Veteran is seeking increased ratings for his left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the claims due to missing VA treatment records, personnel and financial records from specific time periods. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reconsidered in light of the new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee, right knee, lumbar spine, and left ankle disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations.

The claim for service connection of right ankle arthritis was denied as new and material evidence had not been received. The temporary total evaluation based on convalescence from left knee disability is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for various disabilities due to outstanding records and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran will need to provide additional treatment records, including those from private providers. He will also be provided with new examinations related to his psychiatric disorder, hypertension, lung disability, left shoulder, back, knee, and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The right ankle, left knee, and back disabilities were remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's Bell’s palsy is granted, and the Board has remanded for further development regarding other service-connected claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back, right shoulder, right hip, left hip, right ankle, bilateral flatfoot, and bilateral plantar fasciitis disabilities due to incomplete records and a need for VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee degenerative joint disease and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle osteoarthritis, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disabilities to service. The Board also found that the Veteran's current right ankle disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed foot and ankle disabilities, as well as their relationship to service or service-connected flat feet.

The Board has remanded three issues related to service connection for chronic disabilities of the back, left foot and ankle, and right foot and ankle. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to a lack of medical evidence regarding the etiology of his current conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's posttraumatic arthritis of the left ankle with ankylosis, finding that the disability was no more than 30 percent disabling throughout the appeal period.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, acne vulgaris, cervical spine disability, left ankle disability, low back disability, radiculopathy, and obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for renal cell carcinoma, an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and a right ankle disability are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the medical evidence regarding the presence of instability in the Veteran's right ankle. The VA will obtain additional evidence and provide an opportunity for a retrospective examination to address this issue.

The Veteran's post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the left ankle is found to be related to service, and his tinnitus began during service.,The Veteran's right ankle disorder and left shoulder disorder are remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected right ankle pain medications contributed substantially or materially to his death. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the determination of burial benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking the current condition to his military service.