Ankle decisions — 2022

Your claims of service connection for right ankle and left shin disabilities have been resolved by a full grant of the benefit sought in January 2022. The appeal is dismissed as there are no outstanding errors of fact or law to address.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a request from his representative for information regarding the qualifications of the VA examiner who provided an opinion in September 2021. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for upper-gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, left shoulder disorder, right hand disorder, low back disorder, left knee disorder, and bilateral ankle disorder as these conditions are not related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for left ankle and low back disabilities due to incomplete development of records, including inpatient hospital records from service. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's right ankle tendinitis has been rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there was no evidence of 'marked' limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle tendonitis with osteoarthritis and calcaneal spurs, as well as a separate rating for left ankle instability, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of his disability status.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his left ankle disability, including during flare-ups and after prolonged use.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's right ankle disability and acquired psychiatric disorder claims, as well as his TDIU claim. The VA will obtain treatment records, schedule a VA examination to assess the severity of the right ankle disability, attempt to verify the Veteran's stressor related to Guantanamo Bay service, and provide an examination for his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the issues of service connection for a condition of the bilateral hands, back disability, bilateral lower extremities (knees and feet), and left ankle condition. The claims are now pending again for further development.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease C6-7, joint pain of the left hand, and joint pain of the right hand as well as joint pain of the left hip and right hip. The Veteran's current ankle sprain was granted a 10% rating.,Service connection was not established for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, and multiple orthopedic issues, were denied as there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right ankle, hand, knee, cervical spine, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities. The cases are to be reviewed with a focus on determining whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for chilblains of the hands and feet, Raynaud's phenomenon of the hands and fingers, and fibromyalgia. The claims for low back disability other than fibromyalgia pain and left/right ankle disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee, ankle, cervical spine, and left shoulder disorders due to a lack of evidence showing chronicity in service or continuity of symptomatology after service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a blood clot allegedly caused by a September 2007 biopsy performed at a VA medical center is denied because the blood clot has resolved and no qualifying additional disability was shown.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left knee disability has been dismissed.,The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is granted, and the issue of service connection for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his thoracolumbar strain, right ankle strain, and left ankle strain prior to December 20, 2019 due to inadequate previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities, including right ankle, left leg, right leg, frostbite residuals, inguinal injury, sterility, right shoulder, low back, bilateral hip, and left ankle disabilities. The remand is due to incomplete service treatment records from the Veteran's first period of active service and the need for addendum opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of any diagnosed right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral arm numbness and bilateral elbow disorders due to insufficient evidence.