Ankle decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in the need for aid and attendance as he required care or assistance on a regular basis to feed himself, keep himself clean and presentable, and protect him from hazards or dangers inherent in his daily environment. The Board granted special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on various service-connected conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating in any of these cases.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various ankle, elbow, foot, knee, and back disabilities. The appeals were dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (VA Form 10182).

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of November 13, 2020, for his grant of TDIU. The Board found that the proper effective date was August 20, 2021, based on the date of receipt of the claim.

The Veteran's right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to moderate limitation of motion without marked limitation.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, bilateral shin splints, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right ankle disability are all granted as service-connected.,There is no specific rating assigned or effective date provided in the decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, back disability, and ankle disability render him unable to secure and maintain a substantially gainful occupation from May 7, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted his claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Unemployability (TDIU) effective from May 28, 2020.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left ankle conditions due to a duty-to-assist error in the June 2021 VA examination. The examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the current right and left ankle conditions had their onset during service or are otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for various conditions and remanded them for further action.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for clothing allowances due to a lack of clear and accurate descriptions of the braces used, as well as missing relevant documentation from VHA. The AOJ is required to obtain these records and reconstruct the record before making a decision.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. Service connection for an unspecified adjustment disorder was granted, but the claims for left foot, right foot, right ankle, and low back disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran is granted SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o) and (r)(1) as of September 28, 2021 due to service-connected disabilities resulting in need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for left hip condition status post replacement and status post left ankle injury, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board is remanding all service connection claims due to inadequate examinations and opinions, including those for heart condition, hypertension, bilateral foot condition, ankle conditions, elbow conditions, hip conditions, knee conditions, wrist condition, shoulder conditions, and TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right shin splints, left and right ankle disabilities characterized by recurrent pain and swelling/edema, and foot disorders (plantar fasciitis) on the basis that these conditions are secondary to obesity. Obesity is a service-connected condition.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for a left ankle disability, finding no claim prior to January 8, 2018.

The Veteran was granted service connection for his left ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities effective the date VA received their respective claims.