Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle, right ankle, and allergic rhinitis disabilities are all incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The claim for left ear hearing loss was not substantiated as the Veteran did not have sufficient impairment to qualify as a disability. The claim for service connection for residuals of left leg thrombosis, respiratory disability, and left knee disability is addressed in the REMAND section. Other claims are denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for osteoarthritis of the right ankle was denied, as his current disability level does not warrant a higher evaluation. The service connection claim for alcohol induced anxiety disorder, claimed as depression with alcohol dependency secondary to osteoarthritis of the right ankle, was also denied due to lack of legal merit.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle arthritis and left foot sural nerve mononeuropathy are service-connected, with all doubts resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, is not due to disease or injury that was incurred in or aggravated by service; nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The VA examiner opined that the etiology of the Veteran's current left ankle condition was wear and tear on the bones of the left ankle due to obesity and age.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private medical records and arranging a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for his claimed sinus disorder, hemorrhoids, right shoulder disorder, right hip disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected Crohn's disease, heart disorder, and right ankle sprains. The Veteran was also denied entitlement to TDIU prior to June 26, 2010, and SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) prior to June 11, 2012.

The Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and the Board finds that service connection is not warranted.

The Veteran's left ankle sprain is characterized by moderate instability and has been rated based on this. The case is being referred for consideration of an extraschedular rating due to the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and degenerative joint disease were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a chip fracture of the right ankle internal malleolus is denied as his disability does not warrant a higher than currently assigned 20 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the receipt of additional relevant treatment evidence and the need for a VA examination to assess his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for right ankle and shoulder disabilities. Additional records are needed, including treatment from Homestead Air Force Base hospital and any line of duty investigation.

The Veteran withdrew from appeal the issues of service connection for tuberculosis and claims for higher ratings for left ankle and left eye disorders and for acne. The case is dismissed as to these matters.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the conditions listed in his claims, and thus the appeal is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional examinations to assess the functional impairment caused by his service-connected disabilities and for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including VA examinations and opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, an increased rating for left ankle disability, and TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection claims for psychiatric disorders, low back disability, right knee and left knee disabilities, and ankle disabilities have been granted.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for hypokalemia has been withdrawn. The claims for bilateral feet, ankle, and right knee disabilities have not met the requirements for service connection as there is no credible evidence of current disability or in-service incurrence/aggravation. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied on both direct and secondary bases.