Ankle decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an injury noted during his active service and supported by continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The issues of service connection for left ankle, right ankle, bilateral foot (plantar warts), left knee, and right knee disabilities are all now pending.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, including posttraumatic arthrosis and painful scar, is currently rated as 10% for each condition. The appeal is remanded due to the need to reopen claims for service connection of psychiatric and neck conditions.,No specific rating has been assigned for the Veteran's current service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,Service connection has also been granted for PTSD and depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and insufficient medical opinions. The case is now pending further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and updated medical records.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The cases are now remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and requires additional development, including an addendum opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral ankle condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the severity of the left ankle disability prior to May 19, 2021. Additional development is needed.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 30 percent from February 15, 2022. He also received a TDIU effective from the date of his claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further development, including obtaining service records and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to additional evidence being generated since January 2021 and not reviewed by the AOJ.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The other issues are remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for left ankle, left shoulder, and jaw disabilities. Service connection for hepatitis C is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various foot, ankle, knee, and hip disorders due to inadequate VA medical opinions in the January 2023 decision. The Veteran's current disabilities are being reviewed again with new medical examinations and opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate evaluations by VRCs, and a new evaluation is needed to determine if the Veteran has an employment handicap or serious employment handicap.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, rated at 10 percent prior to November 19, 2019, is characterized by moderate limitation of range of motion. The Board finds the evidence does not support a finding that his condition was marked or more severe than what was described in the July 2015 VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, right and left knee disabilities, left foot disability, headaches secondary to PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of upper extremities, herpes, cervical spine disability (secondary to PTSD), right and left hip pain, and hypertension. The only condition granted was an acquired psychiatric condition (PTSD, depression, anxiety and other stressor related disorder).

The appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for a lower back condition is dismissed. The issues of entitlement to service connection for any right lower extremity disability and a right elbow injury are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability as secondary to service-connected rib disability and granted a 20 percent rating for left ankle disability, excluding periods of temporary total ratings.