Ankle decisions — 2022

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral ankle condition, finding that there was no nexus between his current disability and his military service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not have any documented treatment or complaints related to his ankles during service, and that the earliest evidence of his ankle condition came years after he left active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot and right ankle disabilities due to new and material evidence. However, these claims are still pending as they have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's arthritis of multiple joints, including of the bilateral hips, knees, hands, thumbs, ankles, and lumbar and cervical spine, was not shown as chronic in service or related to an in-service injury. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle disability that began during active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms in service are not adequately addressed by the November 2015 VA examiners.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral gout, finding that the evidence does not show a relationship to service or service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted prior to December 21, 2010, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, left ankle, right knee, and left knee. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injuries during his time as a member of the Navy wrestling team.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain is now rated at 40 percent, effective July 19, 2016. His subpatellar chondromalacia of the right and left knees are both rated at 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right ankle, fibula, and tibia disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to her service-connected bilateral knee disability. The Veteran will be asked to provide authorization for non-VA treatment records and a VA examination will be scheduled.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral ankle disorder and right knee disorder due to issues with the March 2019 VA examination and medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right ankle degenerative joint disease was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have, as likely as not, precluded him from maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work history since March 12, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for multiple disabilities, including left ankle, right knee, right hip, back, left knee, and left hip disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions and outstanding records. The Veteran seeks service connection for a right foot disability other than pes planus, which he claims was caused by an injury during service. The VA examiner's opinion is inadequate as it did not address the Veteran's lay reports of pain since service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion and additional evidence is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right ankle sprain, left ankle talo-fibular ligament tear, painful bilateral ankle scars, and right shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tendonitis, labral tear and sub-acromial and sub-deltoid bursitis associated with right ankle sprain, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inaccurate opinion regarding the Veteran's right ankle condition. A new medical opinion is required.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for a right ankle disability and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for mitral valve prolapse, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and back disorder as the Veteran's conditions were found to have preexisted his active duty service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at a 10 percent rating for limitation of motion, but the Board found no evidence to support a higher rating.,A separate 10 percent rating was granted for arthropathy of the right ankle.