Ankle decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for his lumbosacral strain, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, left and right knee strains, and lateral collateral ligament strain of the ankles are being remanded due to inadequate examinations and potential additional functional loss during flare-ups or repetitive use.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle arthritis and major depression, finding that the medications used to treat these conditions caused the obesity which led to the current diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot arthritis and bilateral ankle arthritis, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service occurrence or a link to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his right ankle sprain, kidney cancer, and lung cancer claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral knee disability, tinnitus, heart disability, right ankle disability, fibromyalgia, and bone spur of the left foot. The Veteran's assertions have not been supported by medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's contentions regarding his in-service injuries and their impact on his current disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergies has been denied as there is no evidence of a link between the Veteran's current symptoms and his active-duty service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, unspecified gout, and unspecified arthritis have been remanded to obtain VA examinations and opinions on their etiology. The conditions are presumed to be related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp LeJeune during service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma has been remanded to obtain a VA examination and opinion on its etiology.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, left knee disability, left leg disability, right ankle disability, and right knee disability have been remanded to obtain VA examinations and opinions on their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disability, and left knee disability due to new evidence received since previous decisions. The right knee arthritis and limitation of extension claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing service treatment records and inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical evidence or have new examinations conducted.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities and their relationship to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his PTSD and TBI, have rendered him unable to dress or undress himself and require regular aid and attendance due to his mental incapacity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for back, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder. The reasons include needing to address unresolved medical questions regarding alcohol consumption and its impact on the Veteran's disability picture.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral foot disability, back disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability as secondary to his now service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left ankle sprain with arthritis and instability has been denied. The current ratings are appropriate as the evidence does not support a finding of marked limitation of motion or ankylosis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability and back disability. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disability, specifically addressing whether it is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle and right knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his left ankle disability prior to November 4, 2020 or from November 4, 2020 onwards. For his right knee total replacement, the claim was also denied.

The Veteran's hiatal hernia, hemorrhoids, bilateral varicose veins, right index finger injury, left ring finger injury, anxiety disorder, PTSD, lower back disability, bilateral hip disability, right ankle disability, and right shoulder and clavicular fracture are all remanded for further examination and evaluation.,Service connection is also being remanded for the Veteran's anxiety disorder, PTSD, lower back disability, bilateral hip disability, right ankle disability, right shoulder and clavicular fracture, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of right knee or right ankle disabilities, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, hypertension, left ankle condition, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, lung condition, gastrointestinal disability (IBS and gastroenteritis), migraine headaches, and sickle cell trait are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.