Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent, prior to January 10, 2016, and from January 11, 2016, to March 18, 2016, for a left ankle disability due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board also referred the case for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's combined disability rating was properly calculated using the Combined Ratings Table, resulting in a 90 percent rating as of May 14, 2002. The earlier effective date for TDIU was granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right foot condition and its relation to service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for residuals of frostbite, an ankle condition, and ingrown toenails.

Throughout the pendency of the appeal, an increased rating of 20 percent for status post right ankle injury degenerative joint disease with achilles tendonitis is granted.,Throughout the pendency of the appeal, a separate 10 percent rating for instability of left knee meniscal injury and degenerative joint disease is granted. Throughout the pendency of the appeal, a 20 percent rating for effusion, pain, and 'locking' of left knee meniscal injury and degenerative joint disease is granted.,Throughout the pendency of the appeal, a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracic strain, cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), and left ankle strain as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete VA treatment records. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all relevant medical records and readjudicate the cases.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee and left ankle disabilities, finding that these conditions were incurred during her active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from the Puerto Rico State Insurance Fund. The Veteran is required to provide authorization and VA will request their medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is aggravated by her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for residuals of a right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, and thoracic muscle strain have been denied. The currently assigned 10% disability ratings are appropriate based on the evidence showing moderate limitation of motion in all affected joints.

The Board has denied service connection for eczema, right shoulder disorder, right leg disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, and left knee disorder as there is no evidence of current diagnoses with respect to any of the claimed disorders.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is productive of the functional equivalent of marked limitation of motion, and a 20 percent evaluation for this condition has been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current right ankle disability is related to his in-service injury and subsequent treatment. The VA will obtain additional medical records and provide a new examination.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, right ankle, and lower back disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,Service connection was not granted as the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not shown to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected.,Her left lower extremity sciatic nerve involvement, also claimed as sciatica and tailbone pain, had its disability evaluation reduced from 20 percent to noncompensable effective July 1, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal includes issues related to the reduction of his cervical spine arthritis rating, service connection for fibromyalgia or chronic pain, and various other disability ratings. The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in all these matters.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities due to a lack of documentation regarding the Veteran's attempted enlistment into the United States Army in May 1976.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen her previously denied claims for service connection for various knee, hip, and ankle disorders as secondary to her service-connected bilateral foot disabilities. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are caused by her service-connected bilateral feet disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle sprain as the evidence did not show it was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, bilateral shoulder, bilateral wrist and low back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing all raised theories of entitlement.