Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment throughout the rating period on appeal, granting her TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a headache disorder, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and left foot disability have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.,There is also no evidence of arthritis in the left knee, ankle, or foot within one year after discharge from active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral ankle disability and left knee disability due to a lack of a secondary service connection opinion. The Veteran's bilateral ankle and left knee disabilities are being examined further to determine if they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings for his bilateral ankle disorders, left knee disorder (limitation of flexion), or painful scar of the left lateral eyebrow.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding her left shoulder, ankle, headache, elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for restless leg syndrome, a left foot disability, and initial compensable disability ratings for right and left ankle disabilities have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the issues of initial compensable disability ratings for right and left ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical evidence.

Service connection has been granted for an acquired psychiatric condition, including GAD, MDD, PTSD, and Other Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder. The Veteran's symptoms are related to service-connected stressors.,Service connection has also been granted for fibroid tumors and a left ankle condition. Service connection remains pending for acne vulgaris.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining records from Parkland Memorial Hospital and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right knee and right ankle disabilities are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to unresolved issues related to service connection, including exposure to environmental hazards during the Gulf War. The Veteran's mental health conditions and musculoskeletal disabilities are also under consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and muscle weakness have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the appeal process.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee and right ankle disabilities, respectively. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and DMII were reopened due to new evidence. The right ankle disability appeal was dismissed as the benefit sought has been granted in full. Service connection for dyslipidemia was denied because it is not a qualifying disability for VA purposes. Other issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted an effective date of May 2, 2000 for the award of increased disability ratings for bilateral ankle disabilities on the basis of new and material evidence. The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities were found to have met criteria for increased ratings as of May 2, 2000.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, OCD, right ankle pain, left ankle pain, right foot plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis were denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression are currently rated as 0%.

The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities are granted, with a 30 percent rating effective from May 28, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral foot and left ankle disabilities, as they are related to his service-connected right ankle disability. The VA will need to provide additional medical opinions regarding whether these conditions preexisted service or were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, headaches, hypertension, sleep apnea, and psychiatric disorders, were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, traumatic brain injury (TBI), bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis (claimed foot condition), left ankle nerve damage as due to bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, right ankle nerve damage as due to bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, and left knee nerve damage as due to bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle conditions due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring a new medical examination.

Service connection for the Veteran's residuals of right ankle distal fibula fracture is granted. The Board also found that service connection should be granted for a back disability and a right ankle deltoid ligament sprain, but remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.