Ankle decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities made him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from September 18, 2014. The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 18, 2014 for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities based upon extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives regarding obtaining post-service VA treatment records. The Veteran's right shoulder, bilateral knees, and bilateral ankles conditions are being reviewed again for service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension requires continuous medication for control but has not been manifested by diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or a history thereof, or systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more. Therefore, his claim for an increased rating is denied.,The Board finds that the evidence does not support service connection for low back disorder as secondary to left ankle disability or diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinus condition, headache and/or neurologic conditions, and right ankle sprain due to new and material evidence. However, these claims are still remanded as further development is needed to determine if there is a relationship between the current disabilities and military service.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ankle disorder, finding that it is not related to the Veteran's service-connected left ankle degenerative joint disease. The Board also granted a separate rating for associated left ankle non-limitation of motion (LOM) symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right knee, right ankle, left ankle, and right foot disorders due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ankle disability, to include osteoarthritis. The claim for joint pain due to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle and right knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran's right ankle strain is rated at 10% and not entitled to a higher rating.,There is no evidence of a back disorder related to service, and the claim for service connection is denied.,Service connection has been granted for the right shoulder disorder, but it was not incurred in or caused by service.,The Veteran's right knee and left knee disorders are not considered to be related to service.,There is no evidence of a back disorder related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right ankle and left ankle disability due to inadequate development of service connection. The Veteran's right ankle strain is denied as there is no evidence it began during his service or is related to his service. For the left ankle, the claim is remanded to verify duty status in 1997 when he reported an injury.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity disability, right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, and right knee disability. The Board found that these conditions did not have their onset in service or are not related to any service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's post-operative scar resulting from removal of a sebaceous cyst resulted in several small surgical scars which were not deep, did not involve tissue loss, and were less than 39 sq. cm. in size.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to address whether the Veteran's low back, right hip, and right ankle disabilities are related to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to her inaction regarding employment history and earnings information. The case is returned for further development, including obtaining complete occupational history from August 2007 onwards.

The Veteran's left ankle disorder is rated at 20 percent, the highest available rating under DC 5271, due to marked limitation of motion.

The Board has granted clothing allowance claims for the use of left knee and left ankle braces in 2018, finding that they caused damage to the Veteran's clothing.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right ankle injury is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right ankle conditions, as well as bilateral retropatellar pain condition of the knees. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability remains under review.,The Veteran's initial rating for his lumbosacral strain disability is being remanded due to a contention that it has worsened.

Your claims of service connection for right knee, right ankle, and neck disabilities have been granted. However, as these conditions are now fully compensated, the Board is dismissing your appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, claimed as a right ankle and right foot disability, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The Board finds that further development is necessary before the merits of the claim can be addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to her active duty service.