Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claim for an in-person examination to address a right foot or ankle disability, including pes planus. The examiner is requested to provide opinions on whether any current disabilities are related to service and if pes planus aggravated other conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the submission of a VA Form 10182, which was not appropriate for his legacy system appeals. The AOJ must issue an SOC and allow the Veteran to file a substantive appeal if he wishes to continue his appeal under the legacy appeals system.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chipped tooth has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left bicep tendonitis and rotator cuff tendonitis, left shoulder condition, right wrist condition, right hand condition, right ankle condition, gastrointestinal condition, hemorrhoids, and headaches have all been remanded due to a lack of current diagnoses.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disability, PTSD, and depression are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence related to his in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure and VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle, right ankle, and right knee conditions due to conflicting evidence regarding pre-existing conditions.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle condition as it was not timely appealed and no new evidence had been submitted within one year of the March 2010 denial.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding service connection for various foot, ankle, and knee conditions as the Veteran withdrew his claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and right ankle disabilities have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is being remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple disabilities, including neck, back, shoulder, and ankle conditions. The issues are related to whether these conditions began during or were otherwise caused by her military service.

The Board has decided that the claims for increased ratings for cervical spine, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities need further review due to potential missing SSA records.

The Veteran's chronic adjustment disorder was granted service connection. The Board also remanded several other issues for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's right ankle instability is granted with a separate 20 percent rating.,Entitlement to an increased rating for chronic sinusitis and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain with osteoarthritis remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disability, prostate disability, left arm disability (hand carpal tunnel), right arm disability (hand carpal tunnel), left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the left ankle disability from December 14, 2022. A separate 20 percent disability rating was also granted for nonunion of the medial malleolus of the left ankle.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle conditions, as well as initial disability ratings in excess of 20 percent for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.,There is no persuasive evidence to support a current diagnosis or functional impairment related to either left or right ankle condition.

The Veteran's service connection for hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, and left ventricular hypertrophy is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection as his current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and bilateral knee conditions are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature of his claimed conditions and their relationship to service, including exposure to environmental hazards in Southwest Asia. Updated treatment records should be obtained.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including low back disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, ankle disabilities, and right shoulder disability. The appeals are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for updated examinations.

The Board has granted revision of the November 1982 rating decision that continued a 10 percent disability rating for multiple residual shell fragment wound scars, and implicitly denied separate ratings for four individual painful scars. The decision finds clear and unmistakable error in not assigning four separate 10 percent ratings for the Veteran's painful scars.