Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant is denied as he does not meet the eligibility criteria. The effective date for service connection of bilateral knee extension issues is denied as it occurred after August 11, 2010. Initial compensable ratings for limited extension of the left and right knees are also denied.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral ankle disorder, skin disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, memory loss, and headaches have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability or a link to service.,There is insufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran has any of these conditions resulting from an undiagnosed illness or in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records from Womack Army Medical Center and providing a new medical opinion regarding the cause of his ankle conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left ankle muscle injury or any residuals thereof, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's left ankle disability was granted a 40% rating effective January 10, 2013. He also received service connection for associated post-surgical scars of the left ankle with initial noncompensable and later increased to 10% ratings.,Prior to this decision, his left ankle disability had been rated as 40% since March 18, 2009.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and disability ratings have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals, right ankle musculoskeletal strain are currently rated at 10 percent. The claims for increased evaluations for migraine headaches and traumatic brain injury with organic affective disorder and cognitive disorder remain denied.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current left knee disability related to service, and thus the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is denied.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a right ankle disability during or after service. The Veteran's current right ankle condition was not shown until 2007, which is too long after his separation from service.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, characterized by a distal fibula fracture and strained ligaments, is currently rated at 10 percent under the criteria for limitation of motion. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate evidence regarding the Veteran's left ankle disability and new issues involving hemorrhoids, colon cancer, enlarged prostate, Graves' disease, and pulmonary sarcoidosis. The Veteran will be provided with a Statement of the Case for these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination due to inconsistencies in the previous opinions and because of the nature of the issues at hand.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to his incarceration, which prevented him from attending a VA examination. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right ankle and right knee disabilities, as well as his traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The issues include reopening of service connection claims and new service connection claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate reasons or bases in the July 2014 VA examinations.

The Veteran's residuals of a fracture of the right tibia and fibula were rated 20 percent from September 3, 2008 to April 15, 2013; 20 percent from April 16, 2013 to August 13, 2014; and 30 percent on and after August 14, 2014. The Veteran's scars were rated 20 percent from September 3, 2008 to April 15, 2013; 30 percent from April 16, 2013 to August 13, 2014; and 40 percent on and after August 14, 2014. The Veteran's claims were granted.

The Veteran's DJD of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, effective July 5, 2011. The Board finds no basis for a higher rating.,For the period prior to July 12, 2016, the Veteran's left ankle disability has been rated at 10 percent and his right ankle disability has been rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied because the surgical procedure was performed at a non-VA facility and not by a VA employee, thus failing to meet the legal requirements for such claims.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is manifested by no more than moderate limitation of motion, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for the left ankle disability is not warranted.