Ankle decisions — 2020

The appeals seeking increased ratings for depression, right ankle degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, and reopening claims for diabetes mellitus, gout, and left ankle condition have been dismissed.,New evidence has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for lower back condition, bilateral flat feet, and right and left lower leg/foot conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity sciatic peripheral neuropathy due to service-connected right foot and right sural nerve disabilities. The Veteran's obesity is also being evaluated as it may have been caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for head injury. The claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and left ankle condition are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not properly consider new evidence submitted after a final rating decision, and thus remands the case for reconsideration of service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he did not file a timely VA Form 10182 within the required timeframe.

The Board denied payment or reimbursement for unauthorized expenses incurred by the Veteran for care at two non-VA facilities due to lack of emergency medical condition and unavailability of VA facilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability, including fracture residuals and RSD, has been reopened. The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for his right ankle disability, as well as secondary claims for bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for accrued benefits due to pending appeals and a potential one-year window for filing a Notice of Disagreement. The RO must adjudicate these claims on their merits.

The Board has granted service connection for left ankle sprain and bilateral bone spurs, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service parachute jumps and training.

The Veteran's PTSD and other specified trauma and stressor related disorder are granted service connection. Service connection for loss of use of the creative organ, right ankle sprain, and a skin disorder is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral arm deformity, neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a current disability during the pendency of the claim.,For left little finger, disjointed with scar, the Veteran's claim is remanded as there was no VA examination provided.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right ankle sprain, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish that his current disability resulted from an injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, left wrist, and left ankle disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to seek all potentially relevant medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and remanded the issue of service connection for a left ankle disability.

The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular rating for the Veteran's left ankle talus osteochondral defect status post-surgery and denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The decision found that the regular schedular standards adequately described the severity of the Veteran’s disability, and that her employment issues were not solely attributable to her left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection and rating for various knee, hip, and ankle disabilities due to procedural issues. The Veteran's left knee disability was reduced from 20% to 10%, but no SSOC was issued.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed left ankle disorder, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and right arm glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine degenerative arthritis and/or lumbar spine degenerative arthritis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ankle traumatic arthritis as secondary to his service-connected right knee medial collateral ligament disruption, postoperative. The VA examiners concluded that the Veteran’s right ankle condition was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee injury.

The Board has determined that additional medical examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, as well as his claim for an increased rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. The issues have been remanded.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations did not comply with prior remand instructions and thus, the claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional opinions from appropriate clinicians.