Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed bilateral foot disability, and thus denied service connection for this condition. The remaining issues of neck, ankle, knee, and shoulder disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle/foot disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of a right ankle strain and calcaneal spur did not meet the criteria for direct service connection due to lack of evidence of arthritis within one year of separation. The VA examiners opined against the claim based on the absence of medical evidence supporting a fracture in service and no further complaints or diagnoses related to the right foot or ankle until 34 years after separation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, metatarsalgia of the left foot, and left ankle disability due to new evidence received.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, excluding sarcoidosis, have rendered him unable to perform daily activities without assistance. He is granted SMC(l) based on aid and attendance from August 2, 2005, to August 16, 2010, as well as SMC(o) and SMC(r)(1).

The Veteran's TBI and right ankle degenerative arthritis have been granted service connection. The Board has found the evidence to be in approximate balance as to whether his cervical spine condition, anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, and left ankle arthritis are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, hip, wrist, hand, leg, shoulder, spine, and hearing loss disabilities due to incomplete information in the record. The Veteran is required to provide authorization for VA to obtain his private treatment records and undergo examinations to determine if any of these conditions are related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches, right foot disability, and right ankle disability made him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from November 12, 2015 to June 24, 2019.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent from August 11, 2010. From July 16, 2019, the Veteran is granted a 30 percent rating for his left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further verification of the Veteran's service records and to include any available medical records related to his periods of active duty, active duty for training, and inactive duty for training with the Texas Army National Guard.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a right ankle disability, left knee disability, right elbow disability, residuals of a right fifth little finger injury, traumatic brain injury, and skin rash secondary to exposure to radiation. The reasons include the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.,The Board also requested that VA develop evidence regarding possible exposure to radiation in Palomares, Spain.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, skin, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities. However, these claims are still pending as they have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left ankle disability has been denied. The Board also remanded the secondary service connection claims for further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disability as secondary to his service-connected left ankle condition, finding that the current severity of the right hip condition was greater than before aggravation due to the Veteran's service-connected left ankle injury.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since July 24, 2013.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus disability is granted as service connection due to the onset in service and persistence since.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, numbness in left hand, right shoulder condition, back condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent effective March 8, 2012.,VA has determined that the earliest date of entitlement for service connection of a right ankle disability is March 8, 2012.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of his right ankle, left knee, lumbar spine, and respiratory disabilities. The issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than major depressive disorder (MDD), to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); increased ratings for right ankle and knee disorders; and entitlement to a total disability rating based upon unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded as the Board finds that there is insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric condition, right ankle and knee disorders, and the occurrence of his reported witnessing of a fellow Marine's death during training.