Ankle decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right elbow, right ankle, and right knee disorders due to a lack of current disability related to his service. The case is now pending for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicide agents and a need for additional medical opinions on the right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims were dismissed. The rating for left hip replacement with osteoarthritis was dismissed, while the other issues remained pending.

The Board has determined that further development is needed regarding the service connection for lumbar spine degeneration secondary to right ankle injury, and thus the appeal is being remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for a neck disability is granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral foot and eye disabilities, as well as rating claims for ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records. The VA will attempt to obtain all outstanding service treatment records, clarify the dates of National Guard service, and provide a comprehensive examination to determine the nature and etiology of his disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for the left ankle scar, left wrist scar, left ankle disability, and left knee disability. The cases are being remanded for further evaluation of the Veteran's left knee, left wrist, and left ankle disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral ankle disabilities due to a lack of positive nexus opinions and the Veteran's failure to attend scheduled examinations over two years.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities, including hip, ankle, foot, and back conditions. The appeals are being returned to the AOJ for additional development.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for PFB and initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle disability prior to April 1, 2020 are both denied.

The Board has restored service connection for right and left ankle osteoarthritis and strain, and granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's combined disability rating of 90 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations and failure to verify his reported stressors. The matter will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has granted a higher rating of 20 percent for his service-connected right ankle degenerative joint disease, sprain, and weakness.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis was dismissed. The claims for service connection for right elbow and lower back disorders were granted, while the claim for service connection for right ankle disorder was denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for right knee, right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot disabilities. The issues are inextricably intertwined with a higher rating claim for the left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ankle disability due to inadequate VA examination and lack of substantial compliance with previous orders.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, left shoulder, right shoulder, cervical spine arthritis, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities due to the benefit of doubt being afforded to the Veteran's claims.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches, low back disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, and right ankle disability. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also being remanded due to its inextricability with other issues on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for a special home adaptation grant is dismissed as moot due to the award of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing. The TDIU claim is remanded for extraschedular consideration.