Ankle decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis affecting multiple joints, including the back, ankles, hands, hips, and knees. The decision is based on a finding of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the representative withdrew all claims on appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated as noncompensable prior to April 2, 2018 and granted a 10% rating from that date. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee bursitis and residual ankle pain due to recurrent soft tissue infection with cellulitis of the left lower leg.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disorder, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and right and left knee disorders have been granted.,Service connection is denied for asbestosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete medical records. The Veteran is required to provide additional information regarding his employment status, complete VA Form 21-8940, and undergo retrospective findings from an appropriate clinician.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability, hypertension, and bronchitis as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The Veteran was not shown to have any nexus between his current disabilities and military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the complexity of his medical history and the need for further examination to differentiate between symptoms attributable to his left ankle disability and other service-connected or non-service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for right knee strain and left foot strain have been granted, but the Board finds that an earlier effective date is not warranted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left leg nervous disability was denied as there is no evidence of record to support this condition.

The Veteran's gout of the bilateral feet, ankles, knees, toes, elbows, hands and wrists is rated at 100 percent throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher disability rating and TDIU have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient evidence and a need for updated examinations. The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for degenerative changes of the left talus bone and PTSD remain on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back and left knee conditions, do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral flat feet with osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease of the left and right ankles, and degenerative joint disease of the right elbow, do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence received since the last decision in December 2018.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability was denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted, thus denying the reopening of the claim. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for right knee and ankle disabilities, as well as an initial compensable rating for a left knee surgical scar, are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his left knee, left foot, and right ankle disabilities due to inadequate opinions from previous VA examiners. The Veteran's left knee and left foot disabilities are related to in-service injuries, but the right ankle disability is not clearly linked to service.

The Veteran's left ankle instability and left foot disability are granted with separate initial ratings of 30 percent, but no higher.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 17, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lung disability, back disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, and right wrist disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development of the record.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, with the current 30 percent rating being maintained prior to January 22, 2019 and a 70 percent rating being maintained from that date through the present.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle sprain is also denied.