Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, specifically regarding the Veteran's left knee patellar femoral pain syndrome. The RO is instructed to obtain VA treatment records and provide a new VA opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for a right-hand disability has been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his claim.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of current disability or during service.,Service connection for a right ankle disability is denied as there is no evidence of current disability or during service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and MDD) is remanded due to the need for additional opinion regarding both conditions.,Service connection for a right leg disability, left leg disability, back disability, neck disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, and right heel/foot disability are all remanded as there is insufficient examination reports addressing all relevant medical evidence of record.,reasoning_summary

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to the need for new examinations. The Veteran was not available for the scheduled examinations and VA is instructed to make another attempt to contact him.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, shin splints, and ankle strain. The issues are also inextricably intertwined with a claim for TDIU based on these disabilities.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is rated at 10% and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 10% and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 10% and denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, chronic bilateral wrist sprain, and bilateral ankle sprain are all granted service connection as they are related to his active duty service.,Service connection is established for these conditions due to the presence of undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained multisymptom illnesses.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating greater than 20 percent for service-connected residuals of right ankle sprain has been dismissed as the appeal was not perfected.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU under VA regulations. However, his claim is being remanded and referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to subjective factors that may permit a 100% rating based on his particular circumstances.

The Board has granted service connection for left ankle strain and right ankle strain, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are due to in-service injuries. Service connection was denied for a bilateral foot disorder and a bilateral hand disability secondary to cervical spine disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and headaches, but denied service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, and low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for reimbursement of parking fees and monthly subsistence allowance, as well as his request for VR&E services including independent living services, are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence.,The Veteran has been provided with a thorough vocational rehabilitation evaluation that includes assessments of his current limitations caused by service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform in both his current occupational field and desired career changes.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease, right ankle is dismissed. The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for a left ankle condition has been granted.,The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for a right eye condition has also been granted.

The Veteran's claims for right hand osteoarthritis, left hand osteoarthritis, chronic ear infections, and both ankle conditions have been denied.,Right carpal tunnel syndrome and left carpal tunnel syndrome were granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of all pending claims.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 10, 2020, and in excess of 40 percent from February 10, 2020 for a low back disability.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the period prior to February 10, 2020 for GERD.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for the period from February 10, 2020 for IBS and GERD.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for retropatellar pain syndrome of the right knee.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a compensable disability rating prior to February 10, 2020, and a rating in excess of 10 percent from February 10, 2020 for a left ankle disability.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a compensable disability rating prior to February 10, 2020, and a rating in excess of 10 percent from February 10, 2020 for a left wrist ganglion.,The Veteran's petition to reopen service connection for right shoulder disability based on new and material evidence has been dismissed.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and adjustment disorder.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding service connection for a neck disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, his claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied as he does not meet the VA standards for a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, elbow disorder, wrist disorder, hip disorder, knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder (other than right ankle sprain), shoulder disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and service.,The Veteran's claim for a cervical spine disorder has also been remanded as no VA examination addressing the direct or secondary theory of entitlement was conducted.,His claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for shin splints, left leg and right leg have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for shoulder and ankle disabilities have been denied. The case has been remanded to schedule the Veteran for an examination to determine the nature of his claimed ankle disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a right ankle disability due to new and material evidence. However, the case is remanded as further medical examination and opinion are needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the service connection of right ankle, left ankle, right knee, left knee, and right shoulder disabilities.