Ankle Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle disability, finding that there was no medical evidence linking his current condition to his active service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a right ankle disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development and an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ankle disability.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for a right ankle disorder is granted. The appeal is granted to this extent only, with the denial of the claim for service connection for a right ankle disorder. The rating in excess of 10 percent for seizures and the service connection for major depressive disorder with alcohol dependence (psychiatric disorder) as secondary to service-connected seizure disorder are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeals because he failed to meet the first prong of service connection. The Board will now remand for additional examination and opinion regarding his left knee and right knee disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and a right foot/ankle disability, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's esophageal cancer, which contributed to his death. The examiner is required to provide opinions on whether each service-connected disability contributed substantially or materially to death and if it aided in the production of death.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left ankle and neck disabilities were denied as there was no new evidence submitted to reopen the prior claims, and the earliest date VA received a request to reopen was April 28, 2004.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, which was previously rated as noncompensable, is now rated at 10 percent effective January 17, 2018. The rating is based on painful motion with limited dorsiflexion and plantar flexion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from attending to the needs of nature, caring for himself, or protecting himself from the hazards of his environment. The Board finds that he meets the criterion for aid and attendance benefits due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for numbness in the left toes, neck disability, right ankle disability, OSA, and hip disabilities due to lack of evidence showing a current disability. The claims for secondary service connection are remanded as further medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle and low back disability, including as secondary to a service-connected left ankle fracture, were denied. The claim for an increased rating for left ankle disability was granted with a 20 percent evaluation effective October 19, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability from January 19, 2010 to September 14, 2014.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for surgical scarring of the breasts due to fibrocystic disease from December 15, 2010, through November 6, 2017, is granted. The request for a higher rating on and after November 7, 2017, is denied. New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for left thumb tendonitis and left wrist tendonitis, with the requests to reopen being granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability, nasal swelling (including sinusitis), and respiratory disability (including asthma) have been granted. The decision also reopened the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination for evaluating the Veteran's left ankle disability. The Veteran is entitled to a VA examination to assess his current severity and manifestations of arthritis of the left ankle.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran did not have a current right ankle disability or bilateral hearing loss at the time of his separation from service. There is no evidence of noise exposure in service that could cause tinnitus.,There was no significant threshold shift in the Veteran's hearing during service, and there is no probative medical evidence linking his current bilateral hearing loss to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left ankle disorder, lower back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and Hepatitis C as they are all related to a deceased veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hip, knee and ankle conditions are secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine condition.