Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprains, finding that the evidence did not meet or more closely approximate the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new versions of Diagnostic Code 5271.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and effective dates in the AMA system due to procedural defects. The issues remain pending in the legacy review system.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right ankle disorders, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral ankle tendinitis are related to her in-service injuries.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left knee quadricep tendon rupture with arthritis, right knee quadriceps tear, and right ankle arthritis due to secondary service-connected conditions. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection or aggravation.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle condition but has remanded the claim of entitlement to an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to insufficient evidence and the need for additional development. The Veteran's claims include left shoulder, cervical spine, ankle, knee, foot, thigh, and back conditions related to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for right and left hip disabilities, as well as a right ankle disability. The decision also noted that the pre-existing left ankle disability did not worsen during service.

The Board has granted service connection for left elbow, right elbow, cervical spine, left wrist, right wrist, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle conditions all of which are related to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for July 15, 2018 at Palms West Hospital are denied as the treatment was not for an emergency condition and no prudent layperson would have reasonably expected delay in seeking immediate medical attention to be hazardous.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right ankle condition, gall bladder condition, migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric condition (PTSD) due to incomplete information and need for further examination or evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing a clinical opinion regarding the etiology of his disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension but denied service connection for a left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the issue of whether the appellant's character of discharge from his military service constitutes a bar to VA benefits, excluding health care benefits under Chapter 17. The appeal is pending and will be addressed in a separate decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ankle disorder. The Veteran will need to provide additional VA treatment records and a medical opinion is needed to determine if his current condition is related to service.

The Board denied all extraschedular rating claims for the Veteran's service-connected conditions, finding that the schedular ratings adequately contemplated his disability picture and there were no related factors such as marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to service connection and increased ratings for various disabilities. The appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to his failure to appear at scheduled VA examinations. The claims will be reviewed based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision on his claims.