Ankle Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and lumbar spine strain due to inadequate examination reports. The claim for plantar fasciitis remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining whether the Veteran has a right ankle disability other than her service-connected right ankle trimalleolar fracture with arthrodesis.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a left ankle injury is granted, as the evidence is in equipoise that his current condition is related to his in-service ankle sprain. The issue regarding a left foot condition remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the retrieval of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to service and is denied. The right foot/ankle disability claim was remanded, but an addendum opinion from the May 2013 examiner is needed.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his right and left ankle disorders, as well as his right and left knee arthritis, have been denied. The highest schedular rating available for the right ankle disorder is 40 percent due to ankylosis, which is already assigned. For the left ankle arthritis, there is not more than a moderate limitation of motion. For the right and left knee disorders, prior to October 30, 2014, neither knee showed limitations in extension or flexion that would warrant higher ratings. Since October 30, 2014, the Veteran's knees do not meet the criteria for higher evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left and right ankles, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for a left varicocele with SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ, were denied by the Board. The evidence did not meet the criteria for any of the assigned DCs.

The Board has granted service connection for nocturnal myoclonus, a chronic disability that manifested within one year of the Veteran's separation from active duty. The claim for a sleep disorder was denied as there is no evidence showing it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and the preponderance of evidence is against his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination and requests additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the issues of bilateral hearing loss, bilateral wrist disability, sleep apnea, and residuals of meningitis has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus clearly and unmistakably pre-existed active duty service and was not incurred or aggravated by such service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disorder was incurred in service due to its pre-existing nature and progression during his military career.

The Board has decided that the claims of entitlement to service connection for right ankle, bilateral knee, bilateral foot, and back disabilities must be remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected right ankle sprain and posterior tibial tendonitis is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's left heel and ankle strain is currently rated as noncompensable prior to March 28, 2013 and as 10 percent disabling since that date. The Board found the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in an impairment of his ability to retain employment consistent with his abilities, aptitudes, and interests. The evidence shows that a MBA degree is necessary for the Veteran to remain employed at his current position.

The Veteran does not have residuals of a left ankle ganglion cyst that were incurred or aggravated in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, hip, back, and ankle disorders as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting right fifth finger disability did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during service, and no chronic right wrist disorder was incurred or aggravated inservice.,Regarding the left ankle issue, there is no evidence of an in-service occurrence of a left ankle injury. The current left ankle sprain is also not linked to active service.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current right or left ankle disorder and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.