Ankle decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 0 percent for allergic rhinitis is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle condition is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic cough is remanded and requires further examination.

The Board has found that the VA examinations obtained prior to the January 2022 rating decision were inadequate and thus remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ankle disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support an in-service injury or disease and that any current condition is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disorders are granted. The Board affirms the grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee based on continuity of symptomatology since service. Service connection is also granted for right and left ankle disorders but requires further examination to establish a link between current conditions and service.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder osteoarthritis with rotator cuff tendonitis and dislocation, but has remanded the issues of service connection for left shoulder disorder and left ankle disorder due to outstanding VA records.

The Veteran is granted entitlement to specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities, which preclude locomotion without the aid of a cane. The issue of eligibility for a special home adaptation grant is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are denied. The AOJ is directed to obtain a VA medical examination addressing the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions, specifically plantar fasciitis in the left foot.

The Veteran's right ankle disability received a 20 percent evaluation effective September 5, 2019. The ratings for left hip limitation of extension and flexion prior to December 16, 2020 were denied. The Veteran's trochanteric pain syndrome was rated at 10 percent prior to December 16, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left ankle disorders as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, with obesity serving as an intermediate step.

The Board has determined that additional relevant evidence has been added to the record and must be reviewed by the RO before a final decision can be made on the claims for higher ratings for bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic left ankle sprain, finding that the Veteran's competent and credible report of an in-service injury provides sufficient evidence to establish direct service connection. Service connection was denied for a heart disability due to lack of evidence supporting its onset during service or as a result of undiagnosed illness related to Persian Gulf War service.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities as there was no evidence of such conditions during or immediately following active service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities and a temporary total evaluation due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, right ankle disability, and back disability as the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities related to or caused by the Veteran's active duty or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right ankle conditions due to inadequate medical opinions in the March 2021 rating decision. The Veteran's STRs show sprains for both ankles, but the VA examinations have provided conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of his current diagnoses.

The Board granted service connection for left ankle sprain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Veteran's application for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not have any service-connected disability that meets the criteria for such benefits.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, including instability and a scar, is rated at the maximum allowable under current criteria. A separate rating for mild instability is granted.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, back, and left knee disabilities as they were not etiologically related to the Veteran's active service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a higher than 10 percent rating for bilateral foot porokeratosis in soles, metatarsalgia both feet. The claims for service connection for various disabilities were remanded.