Ankle Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran's current condition of swollen feet, diagnosed as osteoarthritis of the feet and ankles, is not related to his active service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran has a chronic disability manifested by swollen feet that had an onset in active service or is otherwise related to active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability, but finds that new and material evidence does not establish a current disability or link to service. The earliest post-service clinical evidence of a right ankle disability is more than a decade after separation from service.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle, right foot, bilateral knee, and bilateral wrist disabilities due to lack of clear and unmistakable error in the January 2015 decision.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is at least as likely as not related to his current condition. The claims for sleep disorder, right ear hearing loss disability, flat feet, and bilateral ankle disorder are remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete examination records, outstanding VA treatment records, and potential need for further examinations. The claims will be considered together as they are inextricably intertwined.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for a right ankle disorder, low back disorder, and secondary hip and leg disorders. The evidence received since the prior denial was not considered material in relation to the merits of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including the issuance of a statement of the case on her service connection claim and the provision of a VA examination to assess her scars of the right lower extremity.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unemployable due to his PTSD and other disabilities, as he is capable of performing work in a more sedentary capacity.

The Board denied referral on an extraschedular basis for the issue of entitlement to an increased disability rating greater than 20 percent for right ankle instability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of multiple joints, heart disability secondary to service-connected disabilities of the left knee and low back, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's arthritis is not related to his active duty service or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for left ankle sprain and low back disability, both of which were previously denied as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including affording her with VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current right shoulder disability, frostbite residuals of the nipples and toes, bowel disability, and left knee, ankle, and right ankle disabilities. The Veteran is also requested to be afforded another opportunity to appear for an examination to determine the etiology of any current right shoulder disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left ankle sprain, an increased disability rating for IBS and colitis, and a higher initial disability rating for chronic maxillary sinusitis.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent effective January 3, 2013. His headaches are service-connected as secondary to his neck strain.

The Veteran's discharge from service was due to a pre-existing right ankle disability that worsened during basic training, resulting in his being discharged for convenience of the government. As he is now service-connected for this condition, he meets the criteria for VA home loan benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and there is no evidence linking his tinnitus or left ankle injury to service. The Veteran's claims were denied as the preponderance of the evidence did not support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new examinations and consideration of her TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, do not meet the criteria for service connection as they are not shown to be related to his active duty service.