Ankle Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle, right ankle, left foot, and right foot disorders need to be remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, including sedentary employment. The Board grants a TDIU based on the combined evaluation of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right ankle disability characterized by joint pain is related to service and has been granted. The claims for initial compensable ratings for right hip arthritis and bursitis limitation of extension and thigh impairment are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have current right ear or left ear hearing loss to a level recognized as a ratable disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5237.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 10 percent. The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s right ankle disability does not meet or approximate unfavorable ankylosis.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of September 17, 2024 for a 20 percent rating for his right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain with gout. The Board found it not factually ascertainable that he had marked limited motion prior to this date.

The Veteran's left thumb condition is currently rated at 10 percent, and his left ankle condition is rated at 20 percent. Both conditions are denied for increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on his left ankle and left knee disabilities has been dismissed because the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right hip disability, and right lower extremity nerve condition due to inadequate VA examinations and duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine, right and/or left knee, right and/or left ankle, and right and/or left foot disabilities as arthritis, finding that the evidence does not support a link to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient development of records from a private treatment provider. The Veteran's history and symptoms related to his claimed conditions are being evaluated further.

The Board has remanded all issues on appeal due to a duty to assist error prior to the May 2022 decision.,Service connection for back, left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee conditions is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating on his right ankle condition and service connection for a back condition secondary to his right ankle condition have been denied. The denial is based on the Veteran failing to report for a scheduled VA examination, and insufficient evidence linking his back condition to his service-connected right ankle condition.

The Board has denied service connection for right ankle and foot disabilities, as well as for right and left knee disabilities, migraine headaches, an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, and sleep disturbances. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, and left knee disorder were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for hypercholesterolemia and multiple myeloma have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,For the remaining conditions, the Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle strain and left knee strain as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his right ankle disability was denied. A 30 percent rating was granted for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis as of November 24, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to November 13, 2012 has been withdrawn and is therefore dismissed. The Board also did not have jurisdiction to review the remaining issues as they are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU issue.