Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral ankle condition, finding that the evidence did not show a relationship to service or service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a right wrist scaphoid fracture is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been reached and there is no evidence of ankylosis.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for synovitis of the left ankle is denied as the disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of depressive disorder with mixed features as there is no longer a case or controversy to resolve due to its grant in December 2019. The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection for knee, ankle, and lower extremity disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, bilateral hip condition, and bilateral ankle condition due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The VA is required to obtain new opinions from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's lower extremity disability, including left distal tibia fracture and closed femur fracture, is found to be related to a post-service motorcycle accident.,The Veteran's right ankle disability, left ankle disability, lumbar spine disability, and intercostal muscle strain (including a left rib case fracture) are not service-connected.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea (claimed as secondary to PTSD) and right ankle sprain should be remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their origins.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been granted. Effective September 13, 2013, he was assigned initial ratings of 10%, 20%, and 30% for his right elbow epicondylitis, left elbow epicondylitis, and right wrist CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome), respectively. His claims for service connection were also granted.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, including the residual scar, is rated at 20 percent. The extension of a temporary total evaluation beyond July 1, 2014 and March 1, 2018 for her service-connected left ankle condition requiring convalescence are granted. A TDIU effective June 1, 2019 is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to report for a scheduled VA examination. The appeal is now pending and will be reconsidered after the necessary actions are taken.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraine headaches, right shoulder disability, left ankle and right ankle disabilities, and left knee and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's service treatment records are unavailable, which may affect the outcome of these claims.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for right ankle and neck disabilities is reopened, but the claims are remanded due to lack of VA treatment records from his period of active service. The Board requests that the Veteran provide information about where he received treatment during service and schedules examinations to determine if current disabilities are related to in-service injuries.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes. The Veteran's claims for right hip disability, right ankle condition, bronchitis, skin disfigurement due to surgical scars, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including affective disorder, anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder) are remanded as there is insufficient evidence on file.

The claims for service connection of right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and left knee disorder have been denied. The claim for service connection of left ankle disorder has been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The claim for service connection of right knee disorder has also been remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for her back, left ankle, right ankle, bilateral metatarsalgia, and right knee disabilities.,Specifically, the Board found that there was no evidence of a back disability during active service or within one year post-service. The left and right ankle disabilities were not shown to be worse than moderate in severity. The Veteran's bilateral metatarsalgia is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations. And her right knee disability did not warrant an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, organic brain syndrome, sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability. The issues are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of residuals of left ankle injury is granted. However, the claim itself remains denied as there is no evidence that current left ankle arthritis is due to the in-service injury.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims for the Veteran, including those related to left knee, ankle, leg, and shoulder disabilities. The decision also mentions a respiratory disability claim based on in-service asbestos exposure and an eye disability claim involving bilateral cataracts and right eye pin-hole surgery.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating for lumbosacral strain, service connection for left ankle disability, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable evaluation are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The appeal for higher staged disability ratings for the service-connected left ankle prior to 2007, extension of temporary total benefit for convalescence beyond August 1, 2010, and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.