Ankle decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues related to her in-service MST, including PTSD, bladder disability, gynecological condition, right ankle disability, and lower back disability. The VA is directed to obtain additional medical records and schedule examinations as needed.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy is dismissed as the disability has already been granted. Service connection for a cervical spine disability is granted, with all doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The appeal for an increased rating for a lumbar spine disability has been withdrawn. The appeals for the left ankle, left knee, left shoulder, and right ankle disabilities are being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis and bilateral ankle osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for personality disorder, eating disorder, left and right ankle conditions with OA, right and left knee conditions with OA, OSA, hip strains, lumbar spine DDD, and neuropathy of the lower extremities. The reasons for remand include obtaining additional opinions regarding the etiology of these disabilities and whether they are related to service-connected disabilities or obesity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back and knee conditions, achilles tendonitis, and sinusitis, have precluded her from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to March 26, 2020. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise that these disabilities prevented her from working.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding her sleep disability, right ankle sprain, left wrist sprain, right wrist sprain, and right knee sprain/strain.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for right shoulder, left elbow, bilateral ankle, bilateral knee, cervical spine, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to incomplete consideration of the Veteran's credible testimony regarding in-service injuries and continued symptoms after separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right ankle disorder and a scar at the right ankle are remanded due to inadequate examination findings. The claims will be readjudicated after obtaining updated examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral knee and ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical guidance on their etiology.

The Board has denied service connection for left and right ankle disabilities as there is no evidence of a current disability during the period on appeal.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the denial of service connection for various conditions and ratings, leading to the dismissal of these legacy appeals.

The claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's PTSD, right ankle condition, bilateral hearing loss, left ankle condition (secondary to a right ankle condition), and sleep-related condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of SMC based on aid and attendance.

The Board dismissed the appeal for bilateral hearing loss and left ankle strain. Service connection was granted for hemorrhoids as secondary to service-connected hypothyroidism.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left ankle, shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand, right ankle, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disabilities, sinusitis, and PTSD. The issues have been remanded for further development in several cases.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and back disability, as well as increased ratings for PTSD and tendonitis of the left ankle, are denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is abandoned due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's right ankle condition, including osteoarthritis and instability, has been granted a 20 percent evaluation.,PTSD was granted an initial rating of 70 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral pes planus, gout, ankle/foot disability manifested by instep and heel pain, other than pes planus, and a knee disability due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for soft tissue calcification beneath the lateral malleolus, left ankle is denied as there is no evidence of marked limited motion or ankylosis.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU from March 14, 2023, is dismissed because his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to that date.