Ankle decisions — 2024

Service connection for PTSD, a left ankle disorder, and GAD have been denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection of sleep disorder is remanded.,The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or in-service stressors related to the claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right ankle disability was received on April 27, 2021. The effective date of the increase to a 10% evaluation is set at April 23, 2021, which is the date he indicated he intended to file his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disorders are being remanded due to the receipt of new and relevant evidence. The AOJ will now consider these claims on their merits.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disorder due to lack of evidence of current disability. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring an addendum opinion from a VA clinician regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right ankle condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of an in-service injury or disease related to his current condition.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. The Board determined that the evidence did not show any improvement beyond what is already provided by the existing 10 percent rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and a neck disability. The remaining issues of service connection for right ankle, left ankle, left knee, right knee, rib, left leg varicose veins, and right leg varicose veins are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back arthritis, neck arthritis, and a left ankle disorder have been granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability that meets VA criteria.,The Board has remanded the claims for left and right ankle conditions due to inadequate pre-decisional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The initial rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The initial rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for right ankle disability was denied due to lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease related to the condition.,Service connection for right foot disability was denied because there is no evidence of current disability during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, left knee and ankle injuries, tinnitus, right knee strain, and other conditions, are sufficient to produce unemployability. The Board granted the TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial disability evaluations are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations, review of outstanding records, and application of the combat presumption.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to procedural issues and a need for additional medical examination.

The Board has remanded all service connection claims due to the need for additional evidence, including missing STRs and VA examinations.

The Veteran's left ankle tendonitis is granted as service-connected.,A 30 percent disability rating for sinus disability is granted, resolving a previous non-compensable rating. The Veteran has more than six non-incapacitating episodes of sinusitis per year characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis does not warrant a compensable disability rating as there is no evidence of greater than 50 percent obstruction in both nasal passages or complete obstruction on one side. There are also no nasal polyps present.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a combined rating of 100 percent throughout the review period. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is dismissed as moot because there is no indication that any single disability alone warrants a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed as the Veteran did not timely file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) within one year of notification of the rating decisions.,No specific evidence or reasoning is provided in the decision summary.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ankle disorder, a right shoulder disorder, and a right knee strain (claimed as a right leg injury). The claim of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for right and left ankle disorders, finding no evidence of in-service injury or chronic symptoms that could be linked to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle condition, left ankle condition, lumbar strain, and left knee condition as secondary to his service-connected right and left foot disabilities.