Ankle decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, sleep apnea, traumatic brain injury, vertigo, low back disability, left ankle and right ankle disabilities, left arm and right arm disabilities, left elbow and right elbow disabilities, left foot and right foot disabilities, left hand little finger, right hand little finger, left hand index finger, right hand index finger, left hand long finger, right hand long finger, left hand ring finger, right hand ring finger, left hand thumb, right hand thumb, left knee, right knee, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left upper extremity cold exposure, right upper extremity cold exposure, left wrist disability, and right wrist disability have also been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, ankle and knee disabilities, low back disability, anxiety/depression, insomnia, sleep apnea, and headaches, did not begin during or are otherwise related to service. As such, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis and right ankle Achilles tendonitis have been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's left ankle strain is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that this rating is appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, bilateral hip disabilities (left and right), and hypertension as secondary to the service-connected right ankle disability.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on direct evidence of their onset during active duty.

The Veteran's residuals of left ankle sprain with degenerative arthritis are rated at 20 percent, but no higher, due to marked limitation of motion.

The Board denied service connection for various shoulder, knee, ankle, and plantar fasciitis disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing current diagnoses or functional impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right ankle status post ankle sprain is granted, and she is assigned an initial disability rating of 10 percent. Her scar on the left index finger is also granted as painful, warranting a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7804.

The Board has found that there is a need for new VA examinations to evaluate the Veteran's right ankle and low back conditions due to inadequate previous evaluations. The claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's right ankle tendonitis is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis was denied. The Veteran's tinnitus, however, has been granted service connection.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and left wrist disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in the July 2021 decision. The VA will need to schedule examinations to provide updated medical opinions on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection claims for various conditions, including vertigo, left and right shoulder disabilities, bilateral ankle disabilities, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of left ankle disability is being remanded due to the need to adjudicate a collateral attack motion regarding the August 1985 rating decision.

The Veteran's recurrent ankle, foot, and wrist disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their relationship to service. The respiratory and sinus disabilities are also being remanded.

The Veteran's effective dates for various disability evaluations have been granted as of September 23, 2019. The claims were based on new evidence that reopened the service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of hypertension, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, cervical strain, rhinitis, sinusitis, and ear infection, otitis media as these conditions were not submitted within one year of his separation from service.

Your claim for service connection for right ankle arthritis has been granted and effective as of May 21, 2019. The issue is now moot because the decision was made before your appeal could be considered.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his right ankle disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his headaches and ankle condition.