Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU was denied as the AOJ did not consider it a supplemental claim, and the decisions were based on initial claims filed in February 2024.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for clarification on whether the Veteran's left ankle condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee condition. The VA will provide an opinion regarding this issue.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and remanded the claims of service connection for left knee and low back disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a c-section scar due to pregnancy surgical complications, finding that the current disability is related to service. The other conditions (left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, hemorrhage residuals, IBS, and right ankle sprain) were denied as not being related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his knee and ankle conditions, as well as sinusitis, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation at any point during the period on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his service and have persisted since then.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right foot, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities are being remanded due to the inadequacy of the January 2022 VA examinations. The Board will require additional evaluations to determine the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right foot and ankle disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA must obtain an addendum opinion to determine the severity of these conditions without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left ankle condition was dismissed because the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ankle and back disabilities, finding that these conditions were incurred during active duty training.

The appeal regarding service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is dismissed. Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right shin splints, left shin splints, and hypertension. The claims for skin disability, headache disability, Type II diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot pes planus, and left foot pes planus are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee, bilateral hearing loss, and ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in the November 2019 rating decision. The AOJ is required to provide addendum opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for her chronic left ankle sprain with arthritis is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The case will be returned for further examination and medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased evaluation for left ankle disability and TDIU due to inconsistencies in the medical evidence regarding range of motion and potential ankylosis.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine disability, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerve (PACT Act), and bilateral hip/ankle osteoarthritis have been granted with effective dates. DEA eligibility has also been established.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions and records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss and tinnitus, prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that a combined effects opinion is necessary to sufficiently address the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that the appellant did not have qualifying active duty service and thus could not establish 'veteran' status.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied.,The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of degenerative joint disease, left ankle (now claimed as achilles tendonitis) is denied. The appeal for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability and chronic dislocation of the left shoulder is remanded.