Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for migraine headaches, a right ankle disability, and diabetes mellitus due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, bilateral ankles, and arthritis of his entire body. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for right ankle disability, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

Effective dates of December 30, 2010 for service connection were granted for left ankle traumatic arthritis and anterior talofibular ligament tear residuals, right ankle traumatic arthritis, right knee instability, right knee osteoarthritis, and left knee instability. Effective date of May 7, 2012 was granted for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's right foot disability, including tendonitis and ankle instability, is currently rated at 20 percent from July 1, 2013. The claim for a higher rating remains pending as the issue of increased rating for neuropathy has been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for torn Achilles tendon of the right heel, status post tear of the fibula collateral ligaments of the right ankle (claimed as torn Achilles of the right heel), and degenerative arthritis of the right foot due to lack of evidence of current disabilities or a causal relationship with service.,There is no credible evidence that the Veteran currently has any of these conditions. The Board found her reports of continuous symptoms since service were not credible, and there was no medical opinion linking her current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle and foot disabilities have been granted separate ratings, effective July 28, 2015. The left and right ankle disabilities are rated at 10 percent each, while the left and right foot disabilities are rated at 30 percent each.,The Veteran was also granted a TDIU effective July 28, 2015.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development regarding service connection for right ankle and right foot disabilities, as well as the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his service-connected disabilities of bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral ankles, right knee, and fifth metatarsal of the left foot require additional development due to a lack of updated VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for a left hip disorder and a left ankle disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.,There is no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current hip and ankle disorders and his time in service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the withdrawal of his attorney as representative and hearing request. As a result, all issues on appeal are dismissed.

The Veteran's left ankle degenerative arthritis has not been found to warrant a rating in excess of the current 10 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for more severe limitation of motion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and missing VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his left ankle disability is denied. The case is remanded for additional development, including consideration of the Veteran's TDIU claim and review of new VA treatment records.

The Board has denied service connection for TB due to lack of current disability evidence. The claims for left knee, lumbar spine, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities are remanded as the VA examiner's opinions were not sufficient.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various knee and ankle disabilities, as well as a right shoulder disability due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service injury and continuity of symptoms are considered.

The Veteran's left ankle disorder is granted an initial rating of 20 percent, but not higher. The right elbow disorders are denied increased ratings.

The Board has dismissed all issues of entitlement to increased ratings for various knee and hip conditions as the Veteran withdrew his appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's right ankle disorder is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left ankle disability due to inadequate examination and failure to address specific aspects of the condition.