Ankle decisions — 2020

The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities have each been assigned a 20 percent rating from April 2, 2012. The Board denied ratings in excess of this level.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the failure to provide adequate VA examinations. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, migraine disability, and bilateral ankle disabilities have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for vertigo has not been established.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, neck, right ankle, right knee, and right shoulder conditions as there is no credible evidence of in-service injury or disease that would support a finding of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right ankle disabilities due to inadequate opinions in the VA examination report.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The VA will need to obtain updated treatment records, conduct a VA examination, and provide an opinion on whether the ankle disabilities are related to service or secondary to his service-connected pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle disability and hypertension due to outstanding treatment records and VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a left ankle condition and his increased rating claim for his left knee disability were both denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of a left ankle condition, and the Veteran did not meet the criteria for an increased rating based on limitation of motion or other functional impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have effectively resulted in the permanent loss of use of her bilateral lower extremities, requiring her to use a cane for ambulation. The Board has granted specially adapted housing benefits based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous instructions, and will now consider whether the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's ability to perform work-like activities due to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is currently rated for radiculopathy, cervical spine degenerative joint disease, and other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 7, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for a chronic headache disability and calcaneal spur of the left ankle with sprain are both granted. The headaches are found to be proximately due to his service-connected tinnitus, while the left ankle condition is found to be proximately due to his right lateral collateral ligament sprain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot and right ankle disorders due to incomplete development of records and insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and likely cause of any ankle and knee disabilities present during the appeal period, as well as whether these conditions are related to service. The case will be returned to the Board after compliance with appellate procedures.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum medical opinion regarding whether a head/brain disability resulted from the Veteran's slip and fall at a VA facility in April 2011. The examiner is to consider the Veteran's reported symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, and short-term memory loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear findings regarding inversion or other deformity of the right ankle, and also because it is inextricably intertwined with the issue of increased ratings for the right ankle disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right ankle disabilities due to a failure of the Veteran to attend scheduled examinations without good cause.

The Veteran's ankle and back conditions are not service-connected, as they are secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities. The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) because the evidence does not show that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to new evidence and outstanding records. The claims for right ankle, left ankle, right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, weakness and lack of coordination of legs, radiculopathy of lower extremity, PTSD with dissociative symptoms and derealization, allergic rhinitis, headache disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory disability, cervical spine disability, tremors of hands, and costochondritis are being remanded for further development.