Ankle decisions — 2020

The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded as the current examination did not address whether it is aggravated by his service-connected back and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical spine disability, hypertension (HTN), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bilateral ankle disability has been reopened. The evidence received since the last final decisions raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability, right hip disability, and right ankle disability. The remaining issues of service connection have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to incomplete information in the record. The AOJ is instructed to clarify whether the Veteran is receiving disability benefits from SSA, obtain any relevant medical records, provide an examination, and readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran requires regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, left knee arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, hiatal hernia, left elbow dislocation, hypertension, hemorrhoids, post laceration of the right thigh with residual scar, and right shoulder surgical scar associated with right shoulder arthritis. As a result, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of his claimed disabilities, particularly those related to his military service.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar strain conditions are each rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that these evaluations do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.,For her knee, ankle, shoulder, hip, and urinary tract infection conditions, the Veteran's current evaluations remain unchanged as they are all rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% evaluation, effective October 11, 2019. The other conditions were denied increased ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right ankle condition is not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the merits of multiple conditions has been dismissed due to procedural issues.

The Board dismissed the issue of a proposed reduction in rating for left ankle strain because it was only a proposal and not a decision on the merits.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current left ankle disability is related to his active duty service.

The Board has found that the Veteran had a left ankle sprain in service, which is considered a qualifying event for service connection. However, the VA examination was inadequate to assess any shrapnel residuals and thus the case must be remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle tendonitis, left ankle tendonitis, and Achilles tendonitis. The Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral ankle tendonitis and left Achilles tendonitis are related to an in-service injury during his deployment to the Republic of Vietnam.,Service connection is also granted for degenerative changes of the first metatarsophalangeal joint with bilateral plantar calcaneal spurs and pes planus, currently rated at 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 20 percent for a cervical spine strain with DJD, DDD, and right hand radiculopathy has been granted. The appeal is also granted to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for sciatica of the right lower extremity.

The claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, right knee condition (previously claimed as leg condition), hypertension, and right carpal tunnel syndrome were denied. The claim for service connection of the right ankle condition was remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee, left knee, left shoulder, right shoulder, right ankle, and left ankle conditions. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, pes planus (claimed as flat feet), Morton's Neuroma, and plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's right ankle fracture with residuals of degenerative arthritis is rated at 30 percent from September 1, 2016 and granted prior to May 20, 2016.,A rating in excess of 30 percent is denied from March 6, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ankle disability due to lack of current diagnosis and no evidence of in-service injury or aggravation.