Ankle decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for a temporary total evaluation based on convalescence due to left ankle surgery, and increased ratings for her left ankle disability and right Achilles tendinopathy have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her claims.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is still necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's issues, including obtaining medical examinations and opinions for his disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities, finding that they are secondary to his service-connected left knee and low back arthritis.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings related to bilateral hearing loss, allergic rhinitis with upper respiratory infections, right ankle sprain residuals, and PTSD have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for cervical and lumbar spine conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right ankle disability is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder due to inadequate VA examinations in March 2022. The new examinations are needed to address the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee PFPS, right knee PFPS, anxiety, sleep apnea, right ankle condition, PTSD, and high blood pressure have been dismissed.,The previously denied claim of service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, left hand, and right hand conditions are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The Board will consider whether these conditions are related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral elbow, wrist, and ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical evidence on file. The Veteran's claims are related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's ankle disability is being remanded due to concerns about the care he received from VA medical professionals, which may have caused or exacerbated his condition.

The Board has determined that the VA examination report is inadequate for rating purposes and remands the case for another examination to determine the current nature and severity of the Veteran's right ankle disability, including a retrospective opinion as to its severity throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, with current diagnoses established.,For left foot metatarsalgia and osteoarthritis and left ankle osteoarthritis, the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities had their onset in service.

The Veteran's bilateral cataracts are granted as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The Board finds the evidence is approximately evenly balanced on whether the Veteran's sleep apnea, ankle disability, and restless leg syndrome are related to service or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's impaired balance (dizziness) and cerebrovascular disease do not have current evidence of a disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The cases for left wrist pain, lumbosacral strain, and right ankle sprain are remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during his military service and has persisted since then.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus, onychomycosis (claimed as bilateral foot disability), left ankle disability, right eye disability, uveitis, and left ear disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided the rating claims for left shoulder and ankle disabilities, denying them. The psychiatric disorder claim is remanded due to an issue with the in-service stressor verification.

The Board denied service connection for periodontal disease based on the substitution of the Appellant as the claimant due to lack of compensable dental disability.,The Board remanded the claims for type 2 diabetes mellitus, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability for further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for right ankle, back, and right hip disabilities. The claim for service connection of a right knee disability is still pending.

The Veteran's right ankle degenerative arthritis is rated at 20 percent effective February 23, 2018. The remaining issues of initial ratings for left and right ankle degenerative arthritis are remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination of the appellant's left ankle disability. The examiner will determine if there is a current left ankle disability and its relationship to service.