Ankle decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ankle disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current condition, which includes lateral collateral ligament sprain and degenerative disease with degenerative arthritis.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of December 11, 2020 for service connection for cervical strain, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and right ankle status post medial malleolus fracture.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various gout conditions and a bilateral wrist disability, including arthritis and ulnar impaction syndrome. The issues are related to secondary service connection due to chronic kidney disease.

The Veteran's left ankle deltoid ligament sprain has been granted a 20 percent disability evaluation, and no more. The cervical spine disorder and related issues have been remanded for further examination and determination.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle conditions. The low back condition was also granted.,Service connection for tinnitus was denied.

The Board has denied service connection for left ankle pain, right ankle pain, and bilateral foot plantar fasciitis with pes planus and degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his time in service.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected TBI residuals, effective July 13, 2010, and denied a higher rating for his left foot disability. The appeal of the denial of service connection for ED secondary to DM was dismissed.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for tinnitus and PTSD, but granted service connection for a left ankle disability manifesting as pain and an initial rating of 100 percent for PTSD from April 8, 2013.

Service connection for chronic sinusitis is granted due to presumptive service connection based on the Veteran's Persian Gulf War service.,Service connection for a left ankle condition is granted as it was incurred in service, evidenced by multiple in-service sprains and current limited range of motion.,Service connection for a neck injury is denied because there is no evidence of chronicity during or after service. The Veteran's current condition is less likely than not related to her in-service neck strain.,Service connection for bilateral hips (left and right) is remanded as the issue has not been addressed yet.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is remanded as the issue has not been addressed yet.,Service connection for stomach problems is remanded as the issue has not been addressed yet.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for her left ankle disability was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating than 10 percent.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of headaches, left ankle disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability due to a duty to assist error identified in January 2022.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 20 percent prior to January 31, 2019 and at 30 percent for instability from that date. The case is remanded for further evaluation of a separate rating for numbness in the left lower extremity.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle condition, including osteochondritis dissecans and osteochondral fracture with degenerative arthritis, finding that his symptoms are related to his active-duty service.

The Board granted service connection for a left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and diaphragmatic paralysis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee meniscectomy.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to errors in duty to assist and potential exposure to hazardous materials at Fort McClellan. The Veteran's service records are being verified, and VA examinations will be scheduled for his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to errors in the duty to assist and regulatory requirements. The Board finds that additional development is needed, particularly regarding medical opinions related to exposure to burn pits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's diabetes is granted as secondary to service-connected hypertension. His left ear hearing loss and right ankle tendonitis and sprain are denied, while his allergic rhinitis remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition are being remanded due to a duty to assist error. A VA examination is needed to determine the relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.

The Board granted restoration of the 20 percent rating for right and left ankle disabilities, effective June 13, 2022. The issue of service connection for iron deficiency anemia was remanded.