Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in developing and obtaining medical opinions, as well as investigating potential toxic exposure during his service aboard the U.S.S. Midway.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's right ankle disorder, finding that it was not shown to be related to his active duty service and did not meet the criteria for secondary service connection due to his left ankle disability.

The Board has denied service connection for back pain, ear condition, throat condition, right arm, left arm, left knee pain, right ankle pain, and left foot pain as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or due to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the onset and etiology of his left ankle sprain, pleurisy, and right shoulder disability. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional lay statements from the Veteran and a fellow servicemember, as well as an addendum opinion from a VA or private clinician.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, TBI, and vertigo, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's headaches, bilateral hip condition, lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, and left ankle strain are all granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. A disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD is also granted.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided by the RO was inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to determine if the Veteran's current right ankle disability is related to her active military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left and right knee disorders, left and right ankle disorders, left and right hip disorders, a right elbow disorder, a back disability, and migraine headaches. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with laminectomy for spinal stenosis (back disability), cervical strain with degenerative arthritis (neck disability), and right ankle tendinitis (right ankle disability).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, low back disability, bladder disability, and musculoskeletal conditions of the feet, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and neck, require regular aid and attendance due to his physical incapacity. The Board granted special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right ankle conditions, but denied service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for erectile dysfunction and voiding dysfunction have been denied due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to his in-service exposure.,The remaining service connection claims (for bilateral feet, ankles, hip, wrist, cervical spine, upper extremity radiculopathy, psychiatric disorder, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension) are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle condition is denied due to lack of current diagnosis and recovery from prior injury.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right trigger finger condition is denied as there is no current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied as the evidence does not show it is related to his active-duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle conditions as secondary to his service-connected left hip replacement.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current ankle, hand and leg arthritis, or asthma disorders related to his military service. The claims for these conditions are being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of any left ankle and left knee conditions, as these were not conducted prior to denying the claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination and opinion to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's respiratory condition (claimed as chronic sinusitis) and his service, and if there is a relationship between his left ankle sprain and his service. The claims are also being remanded due to a failure to obtain a VA examination or opinion.

The Board has determined that there were duty to assist errors for the issues on appeal and remanded the case. The Veteran is required to report for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his diabetes mellitus, lumbosacral spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and left ankle disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for a right ankle injury status-post ORIF with residual pain and limited range of motion has been withdrawn by his accredited representative. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 40 percent, and he is granted TDIU based on his moderate depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder.