Ankle decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for his back, ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his lumbar spine disability, the relationship between his ankle and knee disabilities and his active duty service, and whether his bilateral pes planus or back disability aggravates his knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right hand condition, ankle disorder, and major depression, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to September 13, 2013. The Board granted TDIU for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral medial tibial stress syndrome but denied service connection for left ankle arthritis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are not related to a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and right ankle disability should be remanded to allow for further review by VA.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the appellant's death.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability and bilateral ankle disabilities, finding that the Veteran's conditions preexisted service but were aggravated by in-service physical training and lifting. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, right and left knee, and right and left ankle disabilities due to secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus and hammertoes. The AOJ is required to obtain supplemental medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during military service or their relation to his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran incurred PTSD in his active service and resolves reasonable doubt in his favor. Other claims, including those related to lumbosacral strain, right shoulder strain, right ankle sprain, left foot strain, alcohol use disorder secondary to PTSD, and depressive disorder secondary to service-connected disability, are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right knee strain is granted a 10 percent evaluation prior to September 18, 2019.,The Veteran's request for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his right knee strain from September 18, 2019 is denied.,The Veteran's left ankle strain and right ankle strain are both remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating for the entire appeal period. The case is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is granted as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted as secondary to his now service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for left ankle ankylosis and has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, compensable ratings for hypertension and associated epistaxis.

The Veteran's left ankle condition has been rated at 10 percent since September 14, 2012. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to moderate limitation of motion.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted, with the evidence being at least in equipoise that he has had hearing loss since service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee retropatellar pain syndrome and right ankle sprain residuals are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran will need new medical evaluations to determine the extent of his functional loss during flare-ups and after repeated use over time.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including service connection and increased rating issues. The Veteran's hypertension, headaches, sinus disorder, bronchitis, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal by signing an Appeals Satisfaction Notice, indicating satisfaction with the granted ratings for his back disability and bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's chronic strain and lateral collateral ligament sprain of the left ankle, as well as his bilateral knee condition (left and right), are granted service connection. However, his initial compensable rating for lumbar strain is granted from January 13, 2010 to September 21, 2014, but denied thereafter.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the condition was not related to service and is unrelated to any service-connected disabilities.,The Board also denied service connection for a right ankle/foot disorder, concluding that it did not manifest during or within one year after service and is unrelated to any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's left ankle condition has been rated at 20 percent, the highest rating available under DC 5271. The evidence does not show ankylosis or other conditions that would warrant a higher rating.