Ankle Board decisions

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of a low back disorder as moot because it was granted by the RO in September 2016.,Service connection for a right shoulder disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking current condition to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability, right ear hearing loss, right shoulder bicipital tendonitis (right shoulder disability), right ankle strain, left ankle strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFS), left knee PFS, right elbow olecranon bursitis (right elbow disability), lumbar spine disability with Scheuermann's kyphosis (lumbar spine disability), right hip strain with limitation of extension and flexion, left hip strain with limitation of extension and flexion, bilateral pes planus, left ear hearing loss, and tension headaches. The claims are being remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the service connection claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right ankle condition is related to his service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service.,Multiple issues regarding hip, knee, and ankle disabilities are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and treatment records, requiring additional VA examinations and updates.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, which includes sprain and osteochondritis dissecans, is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent. The Board found that there was no evidence of ankylosis or malunion of the tibia or fibula to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left wrist condition, left ankle condition, skin condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression) due to incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for flatfoot and the issues of increased ratings for bilateral great toe onychomycosis, PTSD and allergic rhinitis have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diarrhea (claimed as irritable bowel syndrome) has been granted.

The Board denied service connection and all rating claims, including TDIU, for the claimed conditions. The Veteran's diabetes is not related to his military service. His acquired mental disorder, left knee disorder, heart disorder, right knee disorder, right ankle disorder, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and right middle finger disorder are also not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back, right knee, and right ankle disorders due to inadequate examination reports and failure to consider secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right knee disability, left ankle disability, tinnitus, sleep apnea, or skin condition of the total body that began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The skin condition of the total body is considered secondary to his service-connected idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his left ankle disability has been remanded due to the failure to consider actual improvement in his ability to function under ordinary conditions.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD with anxiety and depression) is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral ankle disorder and alopecia have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.,The Veteran's claim for sleep disorder, secondary to service-connected tinnitus and joint pain, has been remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the existence and etiology of any such disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection due to lack of evidence showing a claim was filed prior to November 27, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound due to a lack of an appropriate VA examination. The examiner must clarify if the Veteran is limited in his ability to bathe and toilet as a result of service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left ankle tendonitis, finding that there is no more than moderate limitation of motion in either ankle.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, chronic gastritis, flat feet, left foot heel spur, right foot heel spur, bilateral plantar fasciitis, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral strain, left ankle disability (status post left ankle fracture, status post open reduction internal fixation with degenerative arthritis), right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. The claims were remanded for additional examinations and to obtain updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a skin disorder due to circumcision is dismissed. The claim for PTSD is denied. The appeal for respiratory disorder (asbestos exposure) is denied. The appeal for sleep disorder is denied. The appeal for headaches is denied. An initial rating of 20 percent for left ankle degenerative joint disease is granted. Appeals for coronary artery disease, hypertension, corns of the bilateral feet, and hemorrhoids are all denied.

Service connection is denied for a right hip disability, right ankle disability, pes planus, GERD, and bruxism.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any current diagnoses of these conditions.