Ankle Board decisions

The Board remands the evaluation of the Veteran's service-connected left ankle sprain for a new VA examination to comply with Correia v. McDonald, as the previous examination did not include weight-bearing and non-weightbearing range-of-motion measurements.

The Board denied service connection for most conditions but granted readjudication of the left knee condition due to new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied increased ratings for asthma with COPD, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left and right knee disabilities, and left and right ankle disabilities. However, TDIU was granted.

The Board granted service connection for a right pelvis disability but denied service connection for heart, skin, ankle, and chronic fatigue syndrome disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for right knee tendonitis/tendonosis with degenerative arthritis and restored the 20 percent rating for left ankle degenerative arthritis effective July 1, 2020.

The Board granted an effective date of September 29, 2009, for the award of service connection for tinnitus but denied revisions to prior rating decisions due to CUE.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded claims for diabetes mellitus, Type II (DM II), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral eye disability, to include glaucoma and cataract, and a right ankle disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial compensable ratings, as well as service connection for various conditions, except for a scar related to a laminectomy which was granted with an effective date of March 22, 2021.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and a compensable rating due to procedural defects.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service-connected right ankle degenerative arthritis status post ankle fracture, right shoulder status post labrum tear repair, and tinnitus, as there was no prior communication regarding a claim for disability benefits.

The Board granted service connection and initial disability ratings for the veteran's psychiatric disorder, back disability, bilateral leg radiculopathy, right shoulder, right knee, left ankle, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disability and assigned a 100% rating. The left ankle degenerative arthritis was rated at 30% from October 1, 2017.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, to include as secondary to service-connected asthma, chronic sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis. The claims for hypertension and right ankle condition were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for left eye chronic conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and right ankle sprain. Service connection was denied for a right hand status post laceration disorder, neck disorder, dental trauma and gingivitis, back disability, right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, pelvic fracture, and left eye disability.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for L4-L5 space narrowing degenerative arthritis prior to January 14, 2025, and denied higher ratings for the other conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right foot and ankle disabilities, as they are already rated at the maximum schedular evaluation available under the amputation rule.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a skin disability, lumbar spine disability, right hip disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability due to procedural defects. The appeal for service connection for a recurrent sleep disability was denied.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for right ankle disability, lower right extremity neuropathy, and residual right ankle scar.

The Board granted service connection for left ankle arthritis, post-traumatic, chronic sinusitis, and somatic symptom disorder secondary to a service-connected disability. A 30 percent rating was also granted for the service-connected left rotator cuff strain.

The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for post traumatic residual pain and chronic or recurrent ankle strain to secure a new examination that complies with the requirements outlined in Sharp v. Shulkin, 29 Vet. App. 26 (2017).