Ankle decisions — 2024

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disorder and bilateral foot disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in prior decisions. The claims are being returned for further development, including new nexus opinions from VA examiners.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle sprain, but the claims for acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), back disorder, and sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right and left ankle deltoid ligament sprains is being remanded due to a pre-decisional error regarding the examiner's assessment of flareups.

The Board has granted an effective date of August 6, 2014 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to this date.

The Board has denied service connection for back pain, eye conditions, joint pain/general arthralgia, right ankle condition, and right knee condition. The claims were not based on a presumption of service connection or exposure to specific hazards.

The Board has decided to remand the issues of service connection for cervical spine, bilateral knee, left foot, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions and outstanding records.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the claim of service connection for a right ankle disability, to include right ankle dorsiflexion. The Veteran's current right ankle disability is not related to active service.

The Board has decided to remand all the claims for further development due to errors in obtaining medical records and military personnel records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD, bilateral hearing loss, chest pain disorder, psychiatric disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, sleep apnea, and tetanus has been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.,No medical professional provided a diagnosis or indicated that the Veteran had any of these conditions during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for left and right shin splints, painful joints, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions during service or related to service. The claim for low back disability is also denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea remains remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral knee and ankle disorders as these claims have been fully granted by a July 2024 rating decision.

The Veteran's SMC was granted at the intermediate rate due to his need for aid and attendance, which is related to service-connected conditions including bladder and prostate cancer residuals, lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran does not meet criteria for loss of use of any extremities.

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

The Veteran withdrew his appeal concerning several service connection and rating issues, including for tension headaches, bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, arthritis, cervical spine strain with degenerative disc disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, left ankle fracture, right ankle fracture, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis and intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Veteran's dermatitis is granted as service-connected due to exposure from environmental hazards in Southwest Asia during military service.,The Veteran's voiding dysfunction condition is denied as not related to her service-connected PTSD and obesity, with no aggravation by obesity.,The bilateral hip condition, right ankle condition, and lumbar spine condition are remanded for further examination to determine if they are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and obesity.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected disabilities. The appellant is denied DIC benefits, survivors pension benefits, and accrued benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral ankle and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of osteoarthritis are related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for amputation, right hip disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder due to a lack of VA examinations conducted during the appeal period.

The Board denied appeals for earlier effective dates for TDIU, a 30 percent rating for right ankle ankylosis status/post ORIF nondisplaced trimalleolar fracture, and a separate rating for LLE sciatic nerve radiculopathy. The Veteran's service-connected conditions were found to have been rated appropriately based on the evidence of record.