Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for joint pain, migraine headaches, PTSD, and left ear hearing loss due to additional development being required.

The Board has denied service connection for left ankle and left foot disabilities, as well as migraine headaches and PTSD. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left and right ankle tendonitis have been granted at 10 percent. The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence from a recent VA examination, requiring further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a right ankle disorder. Bilateral hearing loss is linked to acoustic trauma during active service. Tinnitus is also linked to in-service noise exposure. The right ankle disorder is believed to have started due to an injury sustained while on active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and evaluation of the Veteran's left ankle disability, including a VA examination to address functional loss due to pain and flare-ups.

The Veteran's request for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right ankle sprain and dislocation status post surgery with scar was denied. The Board also found that the evidence did not support service connection for lumbosacral strain (low back pain) or sinus condition, as the VA examinations were inadequate.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of a current diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss.,Regarding service connection for cardiovascular disease, to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents and/or as secondary to PTSD, there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current condition and any in-service exposures or service-connected conditions. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have not been met.

The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent each, but the Board finds that they more nearly approximate marked limitation of motion. The case is remanded for further development.,The Veteran’s lumbar disability has worsened since his last VA examination in June 2016, necessitating a new evaluation to determine its current severity.

The Board is remanding the issues of service connection for left and right groin disabilities, hypertension and headache disabilities (secondary to service-connected lumbosacral spondylosis and degenerative disk disease), right ankle disability, left ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, right knee disability, and neck disability.,Further development is needed for these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee pain, ankle disorders, and foot disabilities. The Board also denied his claim for service connection for headaches secondary to hypertension.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as he did not meet the criteria based on his service-connected disabilities.

Service connection is granted for left knee disability, left ankle disability, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 are rated as appropriate. Service connection for PTSD is denied.,Service connection is denied for tinea versicolor of the face and head, right elbow disability, and left wrist disability.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a right ankle inversion injury and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms did not stem from his in-service injuries or conditions.

The Veteran's claims for left and right ankle disorders, as well as lumbar and right knee osteoarthritis, have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions.,For the period prior to September 8, 2017, the Veteran’s lumbar osteoarthritis was not shown to meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board has found that the Veteran's post-service treatment records are not available and have ordered additional efforts to locate them. The claims for service connection, new and material evidence to reopen, and initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss are all remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral elbow disability, COPD, and emphysema. The effective dates for granting service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities were not granted earlier than May 3, 2016. The rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and denied service connection for a left ankle disability. Service connection was granted for hypertension due to the persistence of elevated blood pressure during service, despite an initial diagnosis after discharge. The denial of service connection for the left ankle disability is based on the lack of evidence linking current pain to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted for left ankle degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine mild degenerative disc disease, and varicose veins of the legs. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus type 2 and peripheral neuropathy of the feet.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but denied service connection for right ankle tarsal coalition calcaneonavicular and bilateral pes planus.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ankle and left ankle disabilities as secondary to residuals of a surgical repair of a right quadriceps tendon, which are compensated under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle condition as the evidence did not show a chronic disease that manifested to a compensable degree in service or within a presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology was not established. The Veteran's reports of continuous symptoms since service were found not credible.