Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that there is no post-service diagnosis of a bilateral ankle disorder or bilateral pes planus, and thus the criteria for establishing service connection have not been met.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to substantiate the Veteran's claims, including Social Security Administration records and private medical records. The Veteran must be provided with a statement of the case on all issues and given an opportunity to perfect his appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right ankle disability, sleep disorder secondary to PTSD, GERD and gastrointestinal issues secondary to PTSD, erectile dysfunction secondary to PTSD, fibromyalgia secondary to PTSD, cervical spine disability, and loss of teeth #8 and #9. The primary issue is that the Veteran's claims are based on service connection for PTSD, which does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development and is not yet able to determine if service connection should be granted or denied for the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations and providing a list of the appellant's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing. The issues include service connection claims, increased rating claims, and effective date claims.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and found that the Veteran does not have PTSD. The remaining claims to service connection are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn for the issues of entitlement to service connection for cholesterol, short-term memory loss, diabetes mellitus, eligibility for a non-service connected pension, and TDIU. The claim of service connection for hypertension has been reopened due to new evidence received since the April 2009 rating decision.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a back disability and remanded it for further development. The Veteran's left hip disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective June 4, 2011, and her right hip disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective April 23, 2009.

The Veteran's left lower extremity disability, including his ankle and knee conditions, has been found to meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on loss of use. The effective date is not specified as it was granted.

The Veteran's left ankle disability was rated at 20% prior to October 14, 2009 and increased to 30% from February 1, 2010. The Veteran's migraine headaches were rated at 50% as of February 12, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected osteomyelitis and related conditions contributed to his death from sepsis, meeting the criteria for DIC based on service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for a new examination due to the lack of recent VA examination and possible worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right ankle and low back disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to the need for additional development of the record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including right ankle disorder, right eye disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, sleep apnea syndrome, and knee disorders. The left forearm burn residuals claim was reopened but not granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a travel Board hearing. The issues include seeking an increased rating for his right inguinal hernia, reopening claims for service connection of ankle and knee conditions, and determining if he qualifies for TDIU.

The Board found no evidence to support a service connection for the right ankle disorder, concluding that any current disability is not attributable to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability, embedded non-reactive conjunctival foreign bodies in the right eye, and scar, limbus, right eye are all service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to clarify the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities, including left ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and jaw disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and a right foot and ankle deformity with arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active military service.