Ankle decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if his lumbar spine, cervical spine, knee, shoulder, and ankle disabilities are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his service-connected left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities. Additionally, the TDIU and automobile allowance claims are also being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's request to withdraw his right wrist disability claim has been accepted. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability in his left ear, and therefore service connection for left ear sensorineural hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for right ear sensorineural hearing loss is granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service. However, the Board has remanded to obtain clarification regarding whether the Veteran currently has a hip or knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip and back disorders, as well as a shoulder disorder. The VA must obtain additional medical opinions to address the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral feet, and ankles have been granted.,Service connection has also been established for major depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle tenosynovitis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right foot pes planus. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a gynecological condition and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's right ankle condition. The low back and respiratory conditions have been denied as not related to service.

Service connection for an eye disability, sleep apnea, and a left ankle disability is denied. The issues of service connection for these conditions are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral leg disorder (sciatica), left knee disorder, and right ankle disorder. The Veteran's appeal was remanded for further action on the issues of secondary service connection for bilateral leg disorder and right knee disorder.,Service connection for a low back disorder is denied as there is no evidence of chronicity during or within one year following separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar-spine disorder, shin splints, right-shoulder disorder, left-shoulder disorder, right-wrist disorder, left-wrist disorder, and right-ankle disorder due to an outstanding duty to assist.

The Veteran's somatic symptoms disorder with depression and anxiety, right ear hearing loss, bilateral shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, bilateral knee degenerative arthritis and chondromalacia, bilateral ankle strain, and left foot condition (various diagnoses) have all been granted service connection.,An initial compensable rating for a post appendectomy scar has not been met.

The appeal for service connection of a right ankle condition and bilateral flat foot condition is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and inextricability of issues. The TDIU claim is being deferred until all other pending claims are adjudicated.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for migraine headaches, right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, and left shoulder condition due to the need for further examination and consideration of the evidence.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the previously denied right ankle condition was granted. The Board has now remanded the case for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea), left and right ankle disorders, skin condition, psychiatric disorder, and bilateral chondromalacia. The Veteran is required to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD and remanded issues related to reductions in ratings for right ankle DJD, peripheral neuropathy of left upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of right upper extremity.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle condition due to service-connected bilateral knee disability.,Service connection was granted for the low back condition as being due to service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as the Veteran and his representative withdrew all pending claims before the Board.

The Veteran's right knee disability was granted a 20% rating effective November 13, 2020. The left ankle disability remains rated at 20%. Both disabilities are currently assigned the maximum available ratings.