Ankle decisions — 2022

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability, finding that it is caused by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The issues include cardiac disability, bilateral hearing loss, neurological disabilities of both upper extremities, right knee disability, PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lipoma of the left upper back area is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his military service, including herbicide exposure. The claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, and joint pain are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability are being remanded due to the need for further development.,An effective date of October 7, 2011, is granted for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity neuropathy and right lower extremity neuropathy.

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

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine, left knee, and left ankle/foot disabilities based on the Veteran's reported in-service fall. The Board found that her current conditions are at least as likely as not related to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a left ankle fracture, an acquired psychiatric disorder, GERD, IBS, and a right hip disability due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,Bilateral hearing loss was also denied as there is no evidence indicating it meets the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right ankle sprain, right knee disability, left knee disability, residuals of left thumb fracture, and residuals of right thumb fracture have been denied as the evidence does not support higher ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity, which is a substantial factor in causing his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's seborrheic dermatitis, left ankle strain, and low back disability were evaluated. The seborrheic dermatitis was found to not warrant a compensable rating due to its limited extent of affected skin.,For the left ankle strain, the Veteran did not meet criteria for a higher rating as his range of motion remained within normal limits with no significant effects on occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right ankle disability, including potential service connection and aggravation by obesity.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee and ankle disabilities result in functional impairment equivalent to loss of use of the right lower extremity, allowing her to be eligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for heel, knee, and ankle disabilities due to inadequate examination in August 2013. The Veteran should undergo a VA examination to determine if he has current diagnoses related to his heels, knees, and ankles.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in effective dates and rating determinations, requiring further development of claims for service connection for left knee disability and increased ratings for right fibula fracture and its residuals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating need further development due to incomplete information or evidence. The issues have been remanded for additional examinations, record requests, and opinions.

The Board has granted service connection and assigned a 30% disability rating for asthma, effective from October 8, 2013. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities (right and left) are also granted as service connected, with the right shoulder having chronic pain and the left shoulder having chronic pain. Service connection is also granted for residuals of a left ankle sprain. Tinnitus is also granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, as the evidence does not support service connection for either bilateral foot or ankle conditions.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective July 17, 2014. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of unemployability prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various ankle and upper extremity disorders due to a lack of medical opinion regarding their relationship to service. The Veteran is required to provide authorization for VA to obtain private treatment records, and a VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied due to his failure to report for a VA examination.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities. The TDIU claim is also remanded.