Ankle decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and unresolved issues regarding his disabilities. The claims will be reviewed again with additional evidence and examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a left ankle disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these disabilities to his military service or any other condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and further medical examination. The issues include an acquired psychiatric disorder, fatigue, skin condition, and joint pain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions addressing his lay statements and testimony regarding in-service injuries, as well as his current symptoms. The VA must provide new opinions on whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed disabilities are related to active service.

The Veteran's left ankle condition, including achilles tendonitis and degenerative arthritis, was not shown as chronic in service or related to an in-service injury. The Board denied service connection for this condition.,There is no evidence of a current residual of the right eye chemical burn by exposure to jet fuel. Service connection for residuals of the right eye chemical burn was denied.,The Veteran's neck disability, presumed due to his service-connected spinal condition, was not shown as chronic in service or related to an in-service injury. The Board remanded this issue.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations for the Veteran's service-connected left total knee replacement and arthritis of the right ankle. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the SMC claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is remanded for further development due to the need for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete or inaccurate factual premises in a previous VA examiner's opinion. The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and low back disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to procedural issues, lack of adequate medical opinions, and need for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder, right knee, and right ankle disabilities render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment for the rating period prior to April 21, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disability and aggravation of preexisting bilateral pes planus, finding no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left ankle and right wrist disabilities have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's appeal of the rating assigned for depressive disorder is dismissed. The ratings for right hip bursitis and tendonitis, as well as right ankle disability, are restored to their previous levels.

The Veteran's right ankle strain was denied a compensable rating prior to November 13, 2009 and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent from January 1, 2010 to February 28, 2022. A 20 percent rating is granted for the Veteran's right ankle strain starting March 1, 2022.,The Veteran's left ankle strain was denied a compensable rating prior to April 10, 2010 and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent from June 1, 2010. The appeal for the left ankle strain is dismissed as it does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show a nexus between his in-service consumption of starchy food and his current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II, nor could it be presumed as chronic or continuous due to lack of in-service manifestations. The remaining issues were remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from January 30, 2018, to April 2, 2020.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the right ankle disability and service connection for tinnitus. The other issues are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as a systolic ejection heart murmur. The Board found that there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,For the remaining issues of service connection for left and right ankle conditions, the case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected status post open reduction, internal fixation of the pelvis, to include low back pain and stiffness, has at least as likely as not resulted in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees since July 19, 2012. The Veteran's service-connected right ankle fracture, to include early arthrosis with achilles tendonitis, has not resulted in marked limitation of motion or any degree of ankylosis at any point in the appeal period.