Ankle decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle conditions, back condition, and PTSD have been denied. The claims for service connection for left and right hip conditions and sinus condition (allergic rhinitis) are being remanded.,The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities related to the Veteran's service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right shoulder, ankle, and knee disabilities due to duty to assist errors. VA examinations are required to determine if these conditions are related to the Veteran's service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on housebound status, as he is able to leave his home for medical appointments and grocery shopping.

The Board has determined that more development is necessary prior to final adjudication of the claims on appeal due to incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran's complete medical and personnel records from the Texas Army National Guard are requested.

The Board has granted a temporary total evaluation for left ankle surgery from February 6, 2019, to August 1, 2019. However, the Veteran's claim remains in appellate status as he asserts entitlement to an additional extension of his temporary total disability rating beyond the initial six-month period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle disability and tinnitus due to new and relevant evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a left ankle disability was denied in April 2020 and then granted on direct basis in April 2021. The decision is dismissed as moot since the grant of service connection has already occurred.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted effective June 20, 2020. The Board denied earlier effective dates as the earliest possible date is June 20, 2020.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for readjudicating service connection claims for various conditions, as the underlying merits of these claims have already been adjudicated by the AOJ and the appeal is moot due to finality or lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and denied an increased rating for the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability. The left ankle sprain is found to be related to service, while the back disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for coronary artery bypass grafting x4 and hypertension. The right ankle disorder and left ankle disorder are remanded, while the right foot disorder is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral hip and ankle conditions are being remanded due to a lack of sufficient medical evidence regarding the extent of range of motion loss during flare-ups and after repetitive use.

The Veteran's right shoulder and right ankle disabilities are granted as service-connected, with no assigned disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee condition, right ankle condition, and radiculopathy, right lower extremity associated with lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome caused or aggravated the claimed conditions of left hip strain with osteoarthritis with small acetabular osteophytes, right hip strain with osteoarthritis with small acetubular osteophytes, left knee Hodgkins Schlatter disease with pain, and calcaneal spur, left ankle pain.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle, left ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities have been rated at 10 percent each since June 17, 2020. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral foot, ankle, and low back disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or aggravation that resulted in current disability.,Service treatment records did not show any chronic ankle or hip conditions during active duty. The VA examiner concluded the current disabilities are more likely related to post-service use/overuse.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and left ankle neuropathy, finding that additional development is needed to address the relationship between these conditions and his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the issue of service connection for back disability as it was granted in a prior decision. The issues of service connection for right and left ankle disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for prostate cancer, hypertension, obesity, sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, bilateral pes planus, left foot bunion, right foot bunion, left ankle disability (claimed as achilles tendonitis), left knee disability, right knee disability, left hand disability, right hand disability, left elbow disability, right elbow disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability due to incomplete military records.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for obstructive sleep apnea, right knee disability, and left ankle disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings than those currently assigned.