Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle/foot disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, which he claims is related to in-service boxing injuries and his MOS as an Armor Crewman.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinion provided is inadequate and requires further examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's right ankle disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right foot/ankle disability, finding that there was no evidence of any complaints or treatment pertaining to the right foot/ankle during service and that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of left ankle joint pain, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a right thumb disorder, left ankle disorder (claimed as secondary to a service-connected knee disability), and bilateral foot disorder (claimed as plantar fasciitis) due to insufficient development.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection of a left ankle disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypertension.

Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,The Veteran's PTSD disability rating is remanded due to lack of recent examination.,The Veteran's left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities are remanded as the VA opinion did not address combat participation.,The Veteran's left wrist disability is remanded as the VA opinion did not address combat participation.,The Veteran's back disability is remanded as the VA opinion did not address combat participation.,The Veteran's left leg and left ankle disabilities are remanded as the VA opinion did not address combat participation.,,

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and left ankle disability due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is denied. A rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for residuals of right ankle subtalar dislocation with arthritis 1st metatarsophalangeal joint from May 10, 2017 onward is granted. The Veteran's entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ankle disability, finding that it was caused by events during his active-duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and she is granted TDIU. The Veteran also meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, left ankle, and right knee disabilities due to lack of current diagnoses and failure to report for necessary VA examinations.

The Veteran's left knee disability was granted an initial 10 percent rating prior to October 3, 2022. From that date onwards, the Veteran is entitled to a higher rating but not in excess of 10 percent. The Veteran's left ankle disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling throughout the appeal period.

The Board has found that the appellant's hearing loss disability is not more severe for compensation purposes during the period on appeal than demonstrated on the audiological evaluations discussed above.,VA has failed to obtain the appellant's service treatment records and has determined that further attempts to obtain them would be futile.

The Veteran's PTSD with secondary alcohol use disorder is rated as 50 percent disabling from August 3, 2015. The appeal for a higher rating has been denied.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and right ankle sprain are both rated as non-compensable (0%) from August 3, 2015. The appeals for increased ratings have been denied.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss and right hand disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a right ankle sprain due to insufficient evidence in the record, particularly regarding the etiology of these conditions. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle disability, hypertension, disability of the lower extremities (including restless leg syndrome and leg cramps), obstructive sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disability (including depression and PTSD) due to incomplete medical records and uncorroborated in-service stressors.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for headaches, left knee strain, and right knee strain due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection. Additional development is needed to address all theories of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, secondary to his service-connected left and right knee disabilities, is granted. The reduction in rating for service-connected left ankle tarsal tunnel syndrome from 20% to noncompensable effective August 8, 2014, is not proper.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and ratings related to left knee, left ankle, right knee limitation of flexion, and right ankle degenerative joint disease.