Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to verify his service in the Ohio Air National Guard and determine if any periods of deployment were federal service. The claims for service connection will be reconsidered after this verification.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied, and the case is remanded due to the need for updated VA examination. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded as his employment history needs clarification.

The Veteran's appeal for asthma has been dismissed. The claim of service connection for a bilateral foot disability is reopened, but the claims for other conditions are still pending and will be remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle degenerative arthritis as secondary to her service-connected knees and spine. However, the claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding whether her service-connected conditions have aggravated her current ankle conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left ankle disability and gastritis, have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since August 5, 2003. The Board has granted TDIU effective that date.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disabilities, both as secondary to service-connected flat feet. The Veteran's claims were previously denied by the Board in July 2020 but were vacated by the Court due to an inadequate December 2019 VA examination.

The Veteran's back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and left ankle disability are all being remanded for further review due to the need for additional evidence or clarification.

The Veteran's sinusitis, right knee condition, left knee condition, right ankle condition, and painful joints are related to his military service. The Veteran also has muscle spasms, fibromyositis, a left wrist cyst, and a left hand cyst that are related to his military service.,The Veteran's bilateral knee conditions (right and left) and painful joints are related to his exposure to environmental hazards during the Gulf War.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to burn pits and other toxins during his military service, including his MOS as a vehicle repairer. The case will be reviewed with additional medical opinions considering the synergistic effect of all toxic exposures.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for recurrent right ankle sprain with degenerative changes is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of less than 5 degrees of dorsiflexion or less than 10 degrees of plantar flexion.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right shoulder infraspinatus tear with adhesive capsulitis is remanded due to worsening symptoms since his last VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of tonsillectomy, right ankle disability, and left foot disability (plantar fasciitis) as the evidence did not support a current disability related to these conditions.

The Board has found that the development of the Veteran's claims for left ankle, bilateral knees, and bilateral hip disabilities was incomplete. The VA examination conducted during the last remand is deemed inadequate.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right ankle sprain and migraine headaches have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in its entirety before the Board.

The Veteran's right hand condition is denied as not related to service. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ankle, left foot, and right elbow conditions due to lack of adequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating for individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to October 15, 2018.

The Veteran's left foot, knee, and ankle disabilities were granted service connection as they are considered direct service-connected based on their onset during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left shoulder condition has been reopened, but the Board finds no evidence of a current disability and thus denies this claim.,Service connection was denied for right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, right shoulder, right hip, and left hip conditions due to lack of current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating issues related to the Veteran's right knee disabilities, as well as his left and right ankle disabilities. The remand requires additional medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and consideration of her claims, including those related to her right ankle disability, arthritis, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and TDIU.