Ankle decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for lower back disability, headache disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability. The Veteran's request to withdraw her appeal regarding sleep apnea was granted.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 20 percent evaluation for residuals of right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain as the reduction was improper due to insufficient evidence showing actual improvement under ordinary conditions of life.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are not properly adjudicated due to procedural errors, and thus remands are necessary for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, finding that there is no direct evidence linking his current OSA to his military service. The Board also found that obesity, which he claims as a result of his service-connected left knee and ankle disabilities, did not cause or aggravate his OSA.

The Veteran's hearing loss of the right ear is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, with consideration given to continuity of symptomatology since service.,Gout of bilateral ankles and feet is granted as service-connected, with consideration given to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The claims for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, left ankle condition, and hypertension are remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an eye disability, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability due to service.,Service connection for the right ankle disability has been remanded as additional information or evidence may be needed.

The Veteran has withdrawn the appeals of all listed conditions, and as a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral ankle disability and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error regarding private treatment records for his service-connected mental health disorder and right ankle disability.

The Veteran's bulging intervertebral disc, gout, and right ankle osteoarthritis (synovitis ankle right) were all found to have begun during service.,Service connection was granted for these conditions based on direct evidence of their onset in active duty.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for dermatitis was dismissed. His claim for service connection for OSA was dismissed as the June 2023 decision effectively granted his appeal in full. The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, but granted a 10 percent rating for sinusitis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him permanently bedridden or unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person. He is not substantially confined to his house due to service-connected disabilities, nor does he have a single service-connected disability ratable at 100 percent along with other unrelated disabilities that combine to at least 60 percent.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle conditions need further examination and medical opinion to determine if they are related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).,The Veteran has four painful chin scars, and the Board granted a 20 percent rating for them but did not grant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right ankle disorders. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied service connection for right ankle disability and granted service connection for left ankle tendonitis. The denial is based on the lack of evidence showing a right ankle injury during service, while the grant is due to the Veteran's credible lay statements indicating his left ankle condition began in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disability did not begin during his period of active service and is not related to any in-service injury or event. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and tinnitus have been granted service connection.,Headaches, low back disability, and bilateral ankle disabilities are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal to increase his disability rating for a right ankle tendon rupture was dismissed because he did not file the required Notice of Disagreement within one year after receiving notice of the September 2019 decision. The Board found that good cause had not been established for an extension of time.