Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that restoration of a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right tibia and fibula with traumatic arthritis of the ankle is warranted due to material improvement in his disability, despite some limitations.

The Veteran's left ankle disability has been manifested by marked limitation of motion with pain, and instability. The Board finds that a rating in excess of 20 percent is not warranted for the entire period covered by this claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is July 15, 1998.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right knee disability or bilateral shin splints, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied. The claim for left ankle disability remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed right ankle, left ankle, and bilateral knee disorders are not related to service. The gastrointestinal disorder is also not linked to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the left ankle disability was not related to service, and the knee disabilities did not warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot disorder, bilateral shoulder disorders, and bilateral ankle disorders were all denied. The Veteran was granted a compensable evaluation (10%) for acne and syringomas since May 27, 2015.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for back pain and a left ankle condition, finding new and material evidence. The bilateral foot disability claim remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability warrants a 20 percent rating, effective from the date of her claim in February 2006.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, arthritis of the left foot, and tarsal tunnel syndrome of the right ankle. Service connection was granted for hemorrhoids, but with a non-compensable evaluation. The Veteran's right foot arthritis and surgical scars were also not granted increased evaluations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed disabilities, including whether they are related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is required for the Veteran's claims, including verifying his reported in-service stressor and obtaining a VA examination to assess the current severity of his right ankle disability.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, which caused painful motion and was not ankylosis or related to any service-connected condition, warrants a noncompensable initial rating from August 25, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current disabilities of the right knee, lumbar spine, and cervical spine are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations, as well as the potential impact on his entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, right ankle disability, and personality disorder were denied by the RO in April 2010. The effective date of his awards was January 13, 2012.,The Veteran's claim for a right ankle disability has been reopened due to new evidence submitted since the April 2010 denial.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records from VA facilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining new VA examinations and updating treatment records. The Veteran's appeals regarding higher initial ratings for his service-connected disabilities and entitlement to TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The initial rating for diabetes was not granted, chronic otitis externa did not warrant a compensable rating, the lumbar spine disability received an increased rating but remained at 20 percent, cervical spine disorder, bilateral hip disorder, knee disorder, ankle disorder, kidney disorder (hypertension), heart disorder (hypertension), erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities were not granted service connection. The Veteran's diabetes was rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the current severity of his service-connected postoperative residuals of a stress fracture of the right ankle and whether he is entitled to extraschedular consideration.