Ankle Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and missing records.

The Board has decided to remand twelve service connection claims for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and verifying the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents. The remaining fourteen issues were previously denied in a November 2014 rating decision and require issuance of a statement of the case.

The Veteran's PTSD is not rated higher than 50 percent from May 31, 2012 to July 13, 2016.,Service connection for right hand disability and bilateral elbow disability are denied as they do not meet the criteria of a qualifying chronic disease or undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for a left knee disability is granted. Service connection for a left foot disability, secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability, is also granted. The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his knee disabilities and back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for cervical spine injury, headaches, lower back/spine condition, left hip condition, and right and left ankle disorders are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The effective date of service connection remains unknown as no new evidence was received.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial compensable rating for hypertension prior to August 14, 2015 and to a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter is dismissed. The claims for service connection for left ankle disorder, right shoulder infraspinatus tear with adhesive capsulitis, and recurrent right ankle sprain with degenerative changes are remanded.

The Veteran's initial ratings for lumbosacral strain, left ankle strain, and right ankle strain are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a bilateral ankle disability is granted as new and material evidence has been submitted. The case is remanded to obtain an examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current bilateral ankle disability.

The Veteran's lumbago, sciatic nerve pain, and chronic right ankle pain were not related to her service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ankle disability, finding that there was no evidence showing chronic right ankle DJD in service or within one year post-service. The only competent opinion against the claim found no medical relationship between current right ankle DJD and service.

Service connection for depression is granted. The claims for higher initial disability ratings for right ankle and left knee disabilities, as well as the claim for an earlier effective date for left knee scar, are dismissed. Service connection for a right knee disability and a left ankle disability is remanded. The claim for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied. The claim for an increased rating for sinusitis is denied.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the knees, ankles, and hands as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities. The case is now REMANDED for additional examinations and opinions regarding various other issues, including service connection for right hand/wrist, bilateral ankle, hip, and shoulder disabilities; initial ratings for knee and lumbar spine disabilities; and a TDIU claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right ankle condition, left foot disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and alcohol dependence), and bruxism. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's skin conditions.

The Board has found the VA examinations inadequate and requires additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder, cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, bilateral foot, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee and left ankle disabilities, finding that the current disabilities are not related to the service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome with right lower extremity radiculopathy. The other claims were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a right elbow disorder and right upper extremity neuropathy are remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for various conditions, including right wrist sprain, lumbar strain, hip trochanteric bursitis, ankle sprains, and headaches, are also remanded.