Ankle decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating and TDIU was denied as his left ankle disability does not meet the criteria for an increased rating or TDIU.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims for service connection of residuals of a back injury, residuals of a head injury, and lateral collateral ligament sprain, left ankle. However, the Veteran's claim for service connection of the left ankle disability is granted as it is in relative equipoise with respect to whether the condition is related to service.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 23, 2005 for both the TDIU and DEA benefits awarded to the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected right knee and right ankle disorders were denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to suggest entitlement to any increased ratings, but remanded the issues regarding hip disorder and psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle instability as there was no causal relationship between the current condition and a mild sprain during service, which resolved without chronic symptoms.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disability and low back strain, but has determined that additional development is needed before these claims can be adjudicated on their merits.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral ankle arthritis, bilateral hip arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right hand/fingers degenerative arthritis as secondary to service-connected inflammatory arthritis due to insufficient examination opinions. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain private treatment records from Methodist Hospital in Jacksonville and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle, left shoulder, and right shoulder disorders due to incomplete STRs from his periods of service after March 2000. The Veteran needs to provide complete STRs and clarify which shoulder he is claiming service connection for.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle condition due to conflicting medical opinions and insufficient evidence regarding whether any pre-existing condition was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee and ankle conditions, left shoulder arthritis, and left knee osteoarthritis, are found to likely preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since at least February 2008.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral shin splints, ankle disability, and knee disability due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for his thoracolumbar spine, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle partial tear of the anterior talofibial ligament disabilities have been denied. The Veteran's initial compensable rating for migraine headaches has also been denied. His TDIU claim is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability is now rated at 20 percent effective February 26, 2016. The previous rating of 10 percent was granted prior to October 3, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left testicular condition, left elbow condition, and left ankle condition is denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to his right ankle, left elbow, and right hip conditions. The examinations were not conducted as scheduled.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) as her service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

All back disability claims are granted with a 40% rating from September 1, 2004 to May 20, 2015. Claims for higher ratings for the right and left lower extremity radiculopathies are denied. Right ankle sprain is granted at 20% since May 16, 2015; left ankle sprain is also granted at 20% from that date.

The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus is granted service connection based on direct evidence. The claim for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left elbow disability, and right elbow disability are remanded due to lack of recent VA examinations. Service connection for psychiatric disability is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and the identification of outstanding private treatment records.