Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between current osteoarthritis and service. The Veteran's active service is believed to have caused joint pain shortly after service, but there are missing records that need to be reviewed by a clinician.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including myopia, left and right wrist disorders, left and right ankle disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, ulcers, a right quadricep disorder, asthma, Lupus (Collagen Vascular Disease and Polyarthritis), osteoporosis with osteopenia, left hand and finger disorders, right hand and finger disorders, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, left foot hammer toes, right foot hammer toes, anemia, and skin disorder. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for these conditions due to lack of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board denied service connection for right-ankle disorder, lumbar-spine disorder (to include as secondary to a service-connected injury or disease), right-upper-extremity CTS, and left-upper-extremity CTS. The Board found no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, as well as obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records. The Veteran is also being asked to provide private medical records from Cleveland Clinic.

The Board has remanded the claims for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed cervical spine, bilateral ankle, right shoulder joint, and bilateral foot joint disabilities. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, but the appellant paid for his burial expenses and filed a timely claim. The Board found that the criteria for nonservice-connected burial benefits were met.

A rating of 20 percent for a right ankle disability is granted, and service connection for bradycardia is granted. Service connection for a left shoulder disability as secondary to a right shoulder disability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and left knee degenerative arthritis. The decision is remanded to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right shin splints, left shin splints, right knee patellar tendonitis, and left knee patellar tendonitis. Service connection was denied for a right ankle disability.

The Veteran's right hip disability is rated at 10 percent, and his right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent. The appeals for higher ratings are denied.

The Veteran's liver disability claim is remanded. His tinnitus, diabetic nephropathy, diabetes mellitus, PTSD, and left ankle disability claims are also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bronchitis, degenerative joint disease (DJD), and diabetes-related neuropathy, were denied. The Board found no current disability as claimed in any of these cases.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, IHD, right ankle injury residuals, DMII, CTS, and a noncompensable wrist scar, have precluded him from securing or following substantial gainful employment since January 1, 2011. A TDIU is granted effective from that date.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder and remanded the remaining issues due to additional development being required.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and right ankle disorder are being reviewed again to determine their relationship to service, with a focus on her service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing service treatment records. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a right hand/wrist disability, left hand/wrist disability, low back disability, gynecological disability (including ovarian cyst), and onychomycosis are all pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination findings for rating a right ankle disability. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with new evidence and an appropriate evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or functional impairment.,An increased 20 percent rating, but no higher, has been granted for the right shoulder/collarbone disability from November 12, 2010 to October 15, 2018. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating is denied after that date.,A 10 percent rating, but no higher, has been granted for the left thumb fracture from November 3, 2011 to October 15, 2018. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating is denied after that date.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for the right ankle is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for the left knee is denied.,An increased 20 percent rating, but no higher, has been granted for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine from March 4, 2011 to October 15, 2018. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating is denied after that date.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for sciatic radiculopathy in the right lower extremity is denied.

The Board denied the claims for increased ratings on an extraschedular basis, finding that a grant of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) rendered further consideration moot.