Ankle decisions — 2022

The Board has granted a TDIU effective from May 30, 2015, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected due to lack of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology.,Service connection for a disability of the upper extremities, to include thoracic neuropathy, is denied as there is no current diagnosis and no evidence linking it to service.,Service connection for a bilateral ankle and feet disability is remanded as the VA examiner found a negative nexus to service.,Service connection for a bilateral leg and knee disability is remanded as the VA examiner found a negative nexus to service.,Service connection for a lumbar disorder, claimed as lumbar radiculopathy, is remanded as the VA examiner found a negative nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a need for additional medical opinions and consideration of the TDIU claim prior to June 4, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right ankle disability, which is rated at 40 percent since April 24, 2018, has been denied as the condition does not warrant an increase in rating.

Service connection for a total left knee replacement is granted.,Service connection for a total right shoulder replacement is denied.,The Veteran's service-connected right ankle injury, residuals thereof, and bilateral hip replacements are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran currently has a left ankle disability related to service. The case will be reviewed again with further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, as his education, skills, training, and vocational history are sufficient for sedentary-type work.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of those related to gastrointestinal disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome. The Board has also remanded several issues for further development.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of April 1, 1995 for the Veteran's entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). Effective this date, the Veteran is eligible for TDIU benefits due to his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's right ankle strain is rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating due to moderate limitation of motion.,The Veteran's bipolar disorder is rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating due to little or no symptoms.

The Veteran's left ankle disability has been rated as 20 percent disabling since May 13, 2011. As of November 22, 2021, he is granted a separate 30 percent rating for complete paralysis of the musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) nerve under Diagnostic Code 8522.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate VA examinations and lack of contemporaneous medical records.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his claims of service connection for a sleep disability, including sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including right shoulder impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendinitis and osteoarthritis; right knee iliotibial band syndrome; recurrent ankle sprain residuals; recurrent hamstring disability; bilateral plantar fasciitis; heel spurs; and hip degenerative arthritis. The appeal for service connection for a left hamstring disability has been withdrawn.

The Board has restored a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right ankle disability from February 7, 2013. The remaining issues have been remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle disability and left ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service or secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disability.,The Veteran's right ankle disability was found to be related to his CMT disease, while his left ankle disability was attributed to his CMT disease as well.

The Veteran's right ankle arthralgia and recurrent inversion ankle sprain are granted service connection, while his left ankle arthralgia is denied.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, including posterior tibiailis and flexor hallucis longus tenosynovitis and deep deltoid ligament partial tear, resulted in a 10 percent initial rating for instability. The appeal was granted from June 27, 2020 onwards.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further medical examinations. The issues include lumbar spine, knee, ankle, colon cancer, kidney disability (chronic renal failure), and Type II diabetes mellitus.