Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination by a vocational specialist to assess his ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities. The claim will also be referred to the Director of Compensation for consideration of an extra-schedular TDIU if he does not meet the scheduler criteria.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and his left ankle and knee conditions are each rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including obtaining updated treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and issuing an SOC on additional claims.

The Board found that the August 1989 rating decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, and denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left ankle strain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right ankle disorder did not manifest during his active military service or within one year after separation, and there is no evidence linking it to his service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a lack of sufficient detail in the November 2014 VA examination report and because the Veteran terminated the examination after a confrontation with the examiner. The case is now being returned to the AOJ for additional action.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his bilateral pes planus with triple arthrodesis, left foot, prior to January 14, 2011, or since January 14, 2011. He was also denied ratings in excess of 30 percent for painful scars and amputation of the right great toe at the level of the metatarsophalangeal joint. The Veteran's claim for separate service connection for additional left foot limitation secondary to arthrodesis was not supported by the evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference hearing and issuance of a statement of the case on his claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and right ankle disorders as secondary to a service-connected low back disorder. The claims are granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left ankle disability, and that service connection is warranted.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% since September 30, 2008 and increased to 70% effective June 18, 2010. The Veteran also received a TDIU rating effective January 14, 2010.,The left ankle disability claim has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions and issues, including right and left ankle disorders, a hernia disorder, eye problems, back pain, and psychiatric symptoms. The case is being remanded to obtain additional records from the SSA and VA.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for residuals of a left ankle injury and finds that the Veteran's current left ankle osteoarthritis is related to his in-service left ankle sprain, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for left and right ankle disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating due to bilateral surgical fasciotomies was denied as the surgeries were unrelated to her service-connected disabilities.

The claim for service connection for a broken right ankle is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service records and VA treatment records.

The Board is remanding the case to reconsider the claim for service connection for bilateral ankle and foot disabilities, including as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II. The VA needs to provide an addendum to a previous opinion regarding whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, postoperative removal of loose bodies superimposed on osteochondral fracture dome of the right talus with advanced rheumatoid arthritis, is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not due to a service-connected disability. The right ankle disability issue remains pending as it will be addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for left ankle disability was denied, and his service connection claim for bilateral wrist carpal tunnel syndrome (claimed as bilateral arm pain) was also denied. The decision is based on the current diagnostic codes without any indication of a presumption or secondary service connection.