Ankle decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a bilateral ankle disability due to lack of nexus with service. The issue regarding arthritis in his hands remains pending.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided are inadequate for determining whether service connection is warranted for various disorders. The claims are therefore being remanded to obtain new medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine disability, left knee and ankle disabilities, right knee and ankle disabilities, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, are remanded for further evaluation due to assertions of worsening since previous examinations in 2018. The issues of increased ratings and TDIU are also remanded as they could significantly impact these decisions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot/ankle disorders due to inadequate VA medical opinions in previous decisions. The case is now pending again.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development. The claim for TDIU is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective October 30, 2013. The right ankle and low back conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of entitlement to an increased evaluation for residuals of a left ankle sprain and service connection for a lumbar spine disorder. The case will be remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's back disorder and right ankle disorder. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has determined that additional evidence must be reviewed by the AOJ before a final decision can be made on the claims. The Veteran's service connection requests for various conditions are being remanded to allow for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete development, including lack of retrospective opinions on functional loss during flare-ups and repetitive use.

The Board has determined that the issues of whether the character of the appellant's discharge is a bar to VA benefits, service connection for right ankle disability, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and depression), and entitlement to TDIU are remanded due to new evidence received in May 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for increased ratings for right ankle, left ankle, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine the current severity of his disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, asthma, COPD, gout, and right ankle disability due to further development being required.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder, neck disorder, left ankle disorder, and right hand disorder, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple lower extremity disabilities, including right leg disorder, left leg disorder (other than radiculopathy), right foot disorder, and left ankle disorder, as secondary to service-connected spine and left hip disabilities. The Veteran's VA treatment records from specific locations are requested.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and right hip disability to obtain additional medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is presumed to be related to these conditions.

Your claim for service connection for right ankle dislocation has been granted, and you are now rated at 20% for the condition. The issue is no longer pending as it was resolved in a January 2020 rating decision.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability, including a right ankle sprain with osteoarthritis and residuals of a right ankle injury. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury during active duty and his current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate reasons and bases for denial, as well as reliance on insufficient VA examinations. The Veteran's left ankle and left knee conditions are still under review.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining treatment records and medical opinions.