Ankle decisions — 2020

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, chronic feet dryness, and glaucoma. The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral wrist tendonitis and strain, cervical spine DDD, bilateral medial epicondylitis, left ankle strain, osteoarthritis in the left shoulder, and arthritis in the hands.

The Veteran's right ankle disability has been rated at 20 percent prior to July 22, 2015, and at 40 percent thereafter. The Board denied an increased rating for the right ankle disability as it did not meet the criteria.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot/ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in a previous decision.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at a 20 percent level, effective November 20, 2012. The rating is based on marked limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various conditions, including wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, ankle ligament sprain, knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and PTSD, were denied. The decision did not address service connection issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Court found that the existing record is not adequate to adjudicate the Veteran’s claims and ordered new etiology opinions.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities and additional development is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left ankle disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of STRs. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective December 11, 2019. The right ankle disability is granted with a rating of 20 percent. All other claims are denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete record review.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the effective date for service connection of a right ankle disability and an initial increased rating for residuals of a right ankle fracture. The bilateral hip disability claim is also being remanded due to new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for onychomycosis of the fingernails and toenails, as well as a deformed left tibia with painful motion of the left ankle, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board has found that the VA examinations prior to October 2019 were inadequate for rating purposes due to a duty to assist error, and thus remands the case for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran's left shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, and right ankle disability due to a duty to assist error. VA examinations are needed for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle sprain are being remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation and consideration of lay statements regarding the worsening of his condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions. The claims will be reviewed again with additional evaluations and opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of low back disability, asthma, neck disability, eye disability (including amblyopia, blurred vision, and vision loss), diabetes, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, personality disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)), and left ankle disability have been remanded. The appeals for service connection on the issues of chest disability, residuals of a head injury, and sleep disorder were dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral knee and neck disabilities, right ankle disability, insomnia (claimed as secondary to psychiatric disorder and tinnitus), low back disability, penile disability, and sciatica. Additional VA examinations are needed to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and requests for additional records. The Veteran's right ankle and shoulder disabilities are still under review, with a focus on assessing functional impairment during flare-ups and repeated use over time.