Ankle Board decisions

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the assignment of 20 percent ratings and higher disability ratings for various conditions, including left hip strain with flexion, abduction/adduction, and rotation; left ankle sprain; and allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied all claims for increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current and historical severity of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right eye dry eye syndrome and PTSD, while denying service connection for anxiety and insomnia. The Veteran was also granted higher ratings for his left eye and PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for right shoulder osteoarthritis due to an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence, while remanding the claims for low back, left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD and eczematous dermatitis of the ankles, leading to their dismissal.

The Board granted service connection for right shoulder, thoracolumbar spine, and ankle disabilities based on their relationship to the Veteran's active service.

The Board granted an increased rating of 20 percent for left ankle osteochondritis dissecans and degenerative arthritis with left gastrocnemius contracture as residuals status post left ankle arthroscopic surgery, but denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and left leg syndesmosis instability.

The Board denied service connection for multiple musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a link between any of these conditions and the Veteran's active military service.

The Board granted service connection for right foot pain, a right knee condition, and a right ankle condition based on the evidence showing that these conditions are causally related to injuries sustained during National Guard service.

The Board remands the claim for a left lower leg disability, to include a left ankle disability, for further development and an examination.

The Board granted a separate rating of 20 percent for left and right knee instability, but denied increased ratings based on limitation of motion for the knees and ankles.

The Board denied increased ratings for generalized seizure disorder, chronic sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, and scars, but granted increased ratings of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease in the left and right ankles.

The Board granted service connection for gout affecting the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and hands as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left and right toe gout.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for hypertension, right ankle sprain with ligamentous laxity, right knee scar, and coronary artery disease with hypertensive heart disease. The left knee and right knee patellofemoral syndrome issues were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to a back disability and an earlier effective date of April 27, 2023, for right ankle pain. The claim for a higher rating for GERD was denied.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for various disabilities, including left and right knee disabilities, a right ankle disability, and right lower nerve impairments.

The Board granted service connection for olecranon enthesophyte to include degenerative arthritis of the left elbow, degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, insomnia, and headaches, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The veteran has withdrawn the appeals for service connection for a back condition, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, left knee condition, and left ankle condition.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, left foot peripheral neuropathy of the sciatic nerve, and hypertension, effective from November 2, 2022. Other claims were denied.

The Board granted service connection for a right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. The other issues were remanded.