Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate reasoning and need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and left ankle strain, as well as his claim for a gastrointestinal disability. The cases are being returned to the AOJ for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of service connection for degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis, lumbosacral spine, with left lower extremity radiculopathy and a right ankle injury are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disabilities, including scars from multiple surgeries and degenerative joint disease (DJD), have been rated by the VA. The decision grants increased ratings for some conditions but denies others.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left ankle condition and its relationship to service. The VA examiner needs to provide a more detailed opinion on whether the Veteran's current left ankle disability is at least as likely as not related to his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a determination on his claim of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left ankle sprain. His TDIU claim remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sarcoidosis, including as due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, is denied because there is no evidence of a diagnosis during service or within one year post-service. The Board finds the medical opinion against this claim.,Service connection for a right ankle disability is also denied as there is no evidence of chronicity in service and no current disability linked to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ankle and right knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran contends his conditions were aggravated in service, but the VA examinations did not adequately consider this claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left ankle disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected knee disabilities. The case will be returned for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation during the period of March 31, 2016 to November 13, 2016.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle, right ankle, thyroid disorder, and bilateral eye disorders due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,Service connection was not granted as there is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations of her eye disorder and ankle disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied across multiple issues, including right ankle disability, low back disability, and sciatic and femoral nerve radiculopathies of the left lower extremity. The decision does not specify a particular effective date.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings were remanded, with the case being returned to the AOJ for readjudication.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for migraine headaches due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's headache disability is at least as likely as not aggravated by his lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left ankle injury and respiratory disorder (including asthma) is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and information.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and records in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disability.

The Board found that VA did not fail to diagnose or treat the Veteran's left ankle fracture when she initially presented for treatment in June 2016, and thus compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities, including prostate cancer and elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his claimed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to earlier effective dates, initial compensable ratings, service connection, and right ankle condition are pending.