Ankle decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including painful motion of the cervical spine, right shoulder, left hip, right hip, left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle associated with undiagnosed illness, have been granted effective April 23, 2007.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, but denied service connection for a right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to address whether the Veteran's service-connected right knee disorder caused a functional increase in his right ankle disorder and to obtain an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed PTSD and acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee, right knee, and left ankle conditions due to a lack of current diagnoses or functional impairment.,There is no evidence showing that the Veteran currently suffers from any diagnosed knee or ankle condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his inability to attend scheduled VA examinations. The issues include psychiatric disorders, migraine headaches, left ankle condition, bruxism, bilateral pes planus, and left foot bunion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral ankle strain, lumbar spine strain, and a respiratory condition due to additional evidentiary development being necessary.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle disorder, low back disorder, and left hip disorder due to a lack of compliance with previous directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or related condition and that any current disability is not related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no current respiratory disability, hearing loss of the right ear, or right ankle disability. The Veteran also did not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, right index finger metacarpal fracture, left ear hearing loss disability, positive tuberculosis skin test, hypertension, hemorrhoids, scars of the right knee, left ankle, and tailbone, or hidradenitis suppurativa. The Veteran's TBI claim was granted.

Service connection is granted for left calf cramp and pain disability.,Service connection is granted for right calf cramp and pain disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disorder and Meniere’s disease, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during active duty or ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA. The VA examiner determined that the current left ankle disability is less likely related to any period of service.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere’s disease, concluding that it is not related to his military service due to lack of evidence and finding no nexus between the condition and exposure to burn pits during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot disabilities as well as an acquired psychiatric disability (other than PTSD) due to a lack of medical nexus opinions linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, left ankle disability, and right foot disability. The Veteran's current diagnoses of degenerative arthritis and patellofemoral syndrome are less likely than not incurred in or caused by complaints of knee pain that occurred during service to include parachute jumps.,There is no evidence of a current left ankle disability, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current right foot disability was incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal for higher disability evaluations and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to lack of evidence linking his current disabilities to military service, including herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran was found not to meet the criteria for TDIU as he had multiple service-connected disabilities rated at 90% combined.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back condition, shin splints (left and right legs), right knee condition, left knee condition, right ankle condition, and left ankle condition. The reasons provided include lack of in-service diagnosis or continuity of symptomatology, absence of a nexus to service, and no aggravation by service-connected inguinal hernia.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for initial disability ratings higher than 10 percent for left ankle tendonitis and status post fracture of the right ankle with tendonitis, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right, left shoulder disorders, lumbar spine disorder, right and left hip disorders, right and left knee disorders, and right and left ankle disorders due to in-service repetitive loading of heavy loads from HEMTTs or rocket tubes. The appeals are now pending with VA for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for new examinations to evaluate his low back, ankle, radiculopathy, neck, elbow, and upper extremity disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various lower extremity and back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted, but his other conditions are remanded.