Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to additional evidence added to the record and new VA examinations are required.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including right and left ear hearing loss, a left ankle disorder, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, a right hip disorder, a left elbow disorder, headaches, and anxiety. The appeals were based on the Veteran's contention that these conditions are related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to procedural issues and inextricably intertwined TDIU claim.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for a right ankle disorder and respiratory disorders (asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD, and emphysema) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for residuals of a right fibula fracture, leg length discrepancy secondary to left total knee replacement, and left ankle condition secondary to left total knee replacement due to incomplete examination reports and need for further clarification on etiology.

The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual employability due to service-connected disabilities effective June 30, 2020. The combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied in April 2004, and the effective date of service connection is being denied prior to April 29, 2014.,Claims for various foot conditions, ankle conditions, wrist condition, low back condition, knee conditions, hip condition, bronchitis, sleep apnea, hypertension, and headaches were all denied.

The Veteran's urinary incontinence disability is rated at 40 percent effective December 2, 2022.,Earlier effective dates of October 8, 2016, are granted for the service-connected urinary incontinence, lower back condition; thoracic (mid) back pain; lumbago, radiculopathy, left lower extremity, and bursitis, left ankle.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of migraine headaches and service connection for a left ankle condition are remanded due to the need for new examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee, left knee, and right ankle disabilities due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of his bilateral ankle conditions, as they are secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus (flatfoot). The case will be reviewed and new medical opinions will be requested.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip, ankle, and cervical disabilities due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues of initial rating higher than 10 percent for a cervical strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine are also pending.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total disability rating based on convalescence due to surgery for left ganglion cyst removal is denied. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection, ratings in excess of 10 percent for left ankle and lumbar spine disabilities, and a rating in excess of 20 percent for pes planus, left.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for an increased rating for osteochondritis dissecans of the right ankle and service connection for tinea cruris during a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left ankle disability is remanded due to the need for a retrospective opinion estimating range of motion loss and functional impairment during flare-ups experienced at the time of the November 2017 VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, IBS, and other conditions, prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis from June 19, 2014, to April 20, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and treatment records, and for further assessment of the Veteran's left ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeals for the left and right ankle conditions have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded cases regarding his left leg, right leg, left foot, and right foot conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted in January 2017, with the effective date set at April 11, 2014. The appeals for earlier effective dates prior to this date are denied.,All five conditions (major depressive disorder, bilateral pes planus, lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, and right ankle sprain) were granted service connection in the January 2017 rating decision.