Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ankle disability due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's current disabilities are being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the claims to reopen for consideration of new and material evidence related to low back, bilateral knee, left ankle, bilateral hearing loss, right knee, and right ankle disorders.

The Board has reopened the claims for OSA and CAD, as well as for left ankle, right ankle, right hip, and right foot disabilities. The claims are now remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including left foot, left ankle, right foot, right knee, neck, sinusitis, and type II diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone render him physically unable to engage in substantially gainful employment from July 1, 2015. Prior to that date, he was employed as a railroad engineer and thus considered employable.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as service connected due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hip, knee, and ankle disorders, as well as lower extremity neuropathies.

The Board has denied service connection for various ankle and hand disabilities, with the exception of bilateral plantar fasciitis. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the diagnosis and onset of bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, characterized by painful motion, instability, and weakness, with marked limitation of motion (dorsiflexion limited to 5 degrees to 20 degrees, plantar flexion limited to 15 degrees), has been granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent effective from the date of the VA examination in March 2017.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for low back, right ankle, right shoulder, and knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate nexus opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential Agent Orange exposure, and a TERA-specific examination is required. The examiner must consider total potential exposure through all applicable military deployments and the synergistic, combined effect of all toxic risk activities.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for erosive gastropathy was withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his left ankle disability from January 25, 2010 to June 1, 2015 were also withdrawn. The Veteran received a 20% rating for this period.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the right and left ankle disabilities from January 22, 2009 to August 16, 2018 and January 22, 2009 to December 13, 2019 respectively.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to an increased rating for CRPS of the left lower extremity and a claim for service connection for various disorders. The remand includes obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The petition to reopen service connection for a left ankle condition is denied.,Service connection for a heart condition, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension are all denied. The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction (claimed as secondary to hypertension) and headaches are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, and back disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous decisions. The case is being returned to obtain new examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current disability and military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and left foot disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to her in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the cases for further evidentiary development due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU prior to March 25, 2015 are also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for further medical examination and evaluation of her respiratory, fibromyalgia, leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for alcoholism and a right ankle disability were denied, while an increased rating of 70 percent was granted for PTSD prior to November 14, 2020.