Ankle decisions — 2024

The Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral leg injuries, degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, left ankle strain, and acquired psychiatric disability (to include MDD with cocaine and alcohol dependence and PTSD) has been granted. The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to warrant reopening these claims.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the period from July 11, 2017 to December 5, 2019. The case is remanded for referral to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration of TDIU for the period from January 14, 2010 to July 10, 2017.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities. The VA is instructed to obtain additional evidence and schedule the Veteran for examinations to provide a more definitive opinion on whether his current disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including left ankle, right ankle, left knee, right knee, neck, and back conditions are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claim for increased ratings for a left ankle disability due to additional development being needed, including obtaining an examination and providing information necessary to consider the assignment of any appropriate separate rating for left ankle scars.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence did not show the presence of these conditions during or within one year after active duty service, nor were they shown to have been incurred in line of duty.

The Veteran's ankle sores and blisters have healed, but the VA treatment at issue is not considered to be the cause of any current residual disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for headaches, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis have been granted. The claim for unstable angina and arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) has been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient VA evaluations regarding the Veteran's arthritic disabilities, other than those already service-connected.

The Board denied entitlement to TDIU prior to January 6, 2021 due to the appellant's service-connected disabilities not meeting the percentage requirements for a TDIU. From January 6, 2021, the issue was moot as the appellant received a 100% rating and SMC based on housebound status.

The Board has increased the appellant's disability rating for his right ankle from 10 percent to 20 percent disabling, prior to May 4, 2018. The case is now remanded due to inadequate reasons and bases in the previous examination report.

The claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right ear hearing loss, low back disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and a right ankle disability are being reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The VA has ordered additional examinations for left ear hearing loss and potential service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied. A rating of 30 percent for sinusitis prior to July 23, 2023 is granted, but a higher rating is denied from that date forward. The claims for left and right ankle disabilities as well as bilateral hearing loss disability are remanded.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of right and left ankle disabilities, but denied these claims due to lack of current diagnoses. The claim for low back condition was also denied.