Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for migraines, left ankle disability, back disability, and bilateral knee disabilities have been granted. The claim for PTSD has not been reopened.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection are not addressed as the decision is on hold.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, service personnel records, and a psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee and right ankle disabilities were not caused by a disease or injury in service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability and left foot pes planus, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected right knee bursitis. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his claims for service connection for lower back, right knee, right ankle, and left ankle disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability or respiratory disorder, other than sleep apnea and asthma, that is related to service. The claim for service connection for these conditions is therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure of a scheduled hearing before the Board. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected dermatitis and right ankle injury residuals do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ankle pain, claimed as tendonitis, was denied. The other issues on appeal were also denied.

The Board finds that the appellant does not have a right ankle disability that is related to military service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of right calf, left ankle, and left buttock disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of the current assigned ratings.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for left elbow pain, sinusitis, and depression. However, it denied service connection for left ankle disability and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of his service-connected lumbar spine, right ankle, bilateral hearing loss, left elbow, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The claims will be returned to the Board for further appellate consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral ankle and bilateral foot disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling since the effective date of her initial grant of service connection. The Board has found that she is entitled to these ratings based on the severity of her symptoms, which include painful motion, flares of pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the claims for service connection for scleroderma, thyroid disease, and TDIU are not substantiated by the evidence of record.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. The claim of service connection for a right ankle disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. Service connection for tinnitus is also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, providing proper VCAA notice, scheduling a VA examination for hearing loss, and scheduling examinations for the lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral ankle disabilities, and right elbow disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for left and right ankle disabilities due to procedural errors in reducing their ratings from 20% to 10%. The Veteran's service-connected ankle disabilities are rated under Code 5271, which provides for a 10% rating for moderate limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an addendum opinion from a VA examiner to address whether the Veteran's service-connected left ankle scar residuals caused or contributed to his post-service left ankle fractures.