Ankle decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left foot disabilities. A temporary total evaluation is also granted for her service-connected left foot disability requiring convalescence, effective January 11, 2016.

The Veteran's left knee instability is granted a separate disability rating of 10 percent from June 12, 2014. The Veteran's left knee strain and limitation of extension are denied increased ratings. The Veteran's left ankle sprain with osteoarthritis is granted a disability rating of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions and incomplete development. The issues include right ankle, left knee, skin condition (Agent Orange exposure), and headaches.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the current condition and an in-service injury or disease.

Service connection for a cervical spine disorder, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and bilateral foot disorder (excluding skin) is denied.,Service connection for vertigo and urticaria is denied. Service connection for headaches is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues related to service connection, including asthma, ankle disability, depression, foot condition, low back condition, neck condition, right knee condition, sinusitis, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's TMJD, generalized anxiety disorder with depressive symptoms, lumbar degenerative disc disease with small focal central disc herniation, right wrist sprain, status post right thumb fracture, healed, peripheral neuropathy of the median nerve (left index finger and right thumb), patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the left ankle, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right ankle, tinnitus, trochanteric pain syndrome including trochanteric bursitis (right hip), hallux valgus of the left foot, and hallux valgus of the right foot have all been granted effective dates prior to June 22, 2018.,The Veteran's recurrent urinary tract infection has not been granted an effective date prior to June 22, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, degenerative arthritis of the left ankle, chronic lumbar strain, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, have resulted in a combined rating of 90 percent. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including those of the right and left hands, knees, ankles, and a cardiac condition. The issues are related to toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee strain, instability of the left knee, and left ankle sprain are being remanded due to inadequate examinations in previous VA evaluations. The Veteran will need new examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied as the combined disability evaluation exceeds the maximum allowed under VA regulations.

The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral gout of the ankles was reduced from a higher level, but has since been restored. The Board found that the current disability rating of 40 percent is appropriate as there is no evidence of severe impairment of health or incapacitating exacerbations warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's major neurocognitive disorder is granted as secondary to service-connected hypertension. The right ankle and neck disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing substantially gainful employment during the appeal period, and therefore his claim for a TDIU was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The remaining issues of service connection for arthralgia, low back disability, esophageal disability, and cardiac disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of a right ankle fracture with ankylosis and neuropathy of the right lower extremity due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that his current osteoarthritis is not related to an in-service injury or event.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left and right ankle disabilities due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.