Ankle decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claim for service connection of his left ankle disability due to incomplete records and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.,Issues related to headaches, hands, cervical spine, lumbar spine, right hip, right knee, and right ankle are all being reviewed.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, bilateral foot disability, back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ankle sprain and subtalar dislocation was granted with a 10% evaluation effective October 21, 2021. The Board found that the earlier effective date of October 20, 2015, is appropriate as the Veteran continuously pursued his claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination, which is necessary to determine if the Veteran's current right ankle condition (claimed as foot pain) may be related to his military service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including left and right ankle disabilities, residuals of traumatic brain injury, vertigo, and cold exposure-related disabilities. The issues related to cervical spine, shoulder, wrist, low back, hip, knee, pes planus, hallux valgus, and headache were remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including lower back condition with back pain/arthritis, shin splints with pain, TBI, bilateral knee conditions, bilateral ankle conditions, bilateral shoulder/arm conditions, bilateral wrist conditions, and bilateral elbow conditions, are not service-connected.,The VA examiners found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's claimed disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular criteria for entitlement to individual unemployability from November 1, 2018. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied eligibility for attorney's fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a January 2023 Rating Decision, as the decision was not issued following a request for higher-level review or an increased rating claim form.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including her acquired psychiatric disorder and multiple joint issues, require regular aid and attendance of another person. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right and left ankle conditions due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with additional private medical records related to his treatment.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability, effective October 17, 2014. The claim is denied for any higher ratings.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly assess the severity and manifestations of the service-connected left ankle disability for the period from October 28, 2010, to December 13, 2021. The claim will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis is granted service connection.,Service connection for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the cervical spine arthritis is granted.,Service connection for left and right ankle strain, right shoulder strain, and left and right hip strain are all granted.,The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis is granted service connection.,Service connection for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the cervical spine arthritis is granted.,Service connection for left and right ankle strain, right shoulder strain, and left and right hip strain are all granted.,The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis is granted service connection.,Service connection for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the cervical spine arthritis is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the decision was made, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected allergic rhinitis has been denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has decided that the appellant's right ankle disability did not begin in, was not diagnosed during, nor is otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury. The left shoulder disability issue requires further examination and review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip condition, left ankle condition, and urinary frequency are all denied as there is no current disability found in the evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, ankle, and foot disorders as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right ankle disorder is dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded.