Ankle decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to potential pre-decisional duty to assist errors in obtaining adequate VA opinions regarding secondary service connection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision, leaving no issues for review.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's left ankle condition and his service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a current disability, which includes degenerative joint disease of the left ankle.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee condition, left knee condition, lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, anxiety, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right ankle, and osteoarthritis of the right hip as secondary to pes planus (severe), hammer toes, hallux valgus.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder as secondary to pes planus (severe), hammer toes, hallux valgus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder and a Right Ankle condition have been readjudicated. The claim for MDD has been granted, but the claim for a right ankle condition is being remanded due to new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, left ankle disability, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral foot peripheral neuropathy is dismissed. The claims of service connection for TBI, anxiety disorder with panic attacks, GERD, and female hypoactive sexual desire disorder are remanded.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding the Veteran's claims for various conditions and service connection, as the Veteran withdrew his appeals in writing.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a disability evaluation and service connection due to inadequate examinations, including those related to her left ankle and low back pain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of a digestive/bowel disability, and the evidence did not support her claim that she has an acquired psychiatric disorder or right hand carpal tunnel syndrome.

Service connection has been granted for broken nose, facial scars, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, TBI, right ankle pain, sleep apnea as secondary to broken nose, and acquired psychiatric disability.,The Veteran's service-connected broken nose is linked to an in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee pain, as well as right and left ankle pain, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability at the time of the decision on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, as he is unable to dress or undress himself, keep himself clean and presentable, prepare his own meals, and protect himself from daily hazards. The Board has granted entitlement to SMC(l).

The Board has remanded the case for adjudication of claims regarding effective dates for increased ratings, including consideration of whether there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the November 2017 Rating Decision.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted as service connected, but his left lower leg, right hip, and right ankle disabilities are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board has remanded several issues, including bilateral sinus condition, right hip disability, left hip disability, bilateral eye condition, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee disability, and compensable rating for hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's right ankle surgery required a temporary total rating due to surgical convalescence from December 13, 2019, to March 12, 2020. The Board found that the use of an immobilizing boot and crutches for nearly three months post-surgery met the criteria for a temporary total rating.

The Board dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee and ankle disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other criteria.,Effective February 7, 2021, the VA updated the criteria for evaluating ankle degenerative arthritis to include specific ranges of motion.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right ankle ankylosis is denied, and the Board grants an earlier effective date of December 4, 2017 for entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral shin disorder, and left knee disorder were improperly docketed in the AMA. As it pertains to these issues, the appeal was dismissed.