Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including traumatic brain injury, vertigo, shoulder disabilities, elbow and wrist disabilities, hand disabilities, hip disability, ankle disabilities, respiratory breathing problems, frontal sinusitis, and rhinitis are denied. The Board notes that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to fine particulate matter during his service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.,Service connection for frontal sinusitis and rhinitis is granted based on presumptive exposure to fine particulate matter due to service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder is dismissed because the Veteran was already receiving service connection for this condition effective August 8, 2021. The claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, back disorder, and stomach disorder are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the right ankle disability is caused or aggravated by the service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder and right ankle conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues related to service connection, including headaches, ankle injuries, groin muscle pain, foot disabilities, elbow and knee conditions, lumbar spine issues, and a condition affecting the two middle fingers of the right hand. The Board dismissed the appeal as withdrawn.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective from January 1, 2012, as his service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's left ankle condition and its relation to service. The claim will be returned for further evaluation.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are not compensable due to less frequent attacks. Service connection for adjustment disorder is granted, with the death of a friend during service being considered as causative.,Service connection for chronic adjustment disorder is granted based on evidence that the death of a friend caused symptoms. No current disability for sleep apnea has been established, and no VA examination was provided to determine this condition.,The Veteran's bilateral shoulder strain, ankle strain, erectile dysfunction, and groin pain are remanded as there were no medical opinions regarding their etiology or nature.,Service connection for left shoulder strain is remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.,Service connection for right shoulder strain is remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.,Service connection for bilateral ankle strain is remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction and groin pain are remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that it was incurred in active duty.,For her bilateral pes planus, with left foot hallux valgus and bilateral plantar fasciitis, a rating of 40 percent is granted. The maximum schedular evaluation available under DC 5276 is assigned.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left wrist and left ankle disabilities, as well as the claim for TDIU from September 16, 2009 to January 23, 2015. The claims are being remanded due to insufficient information regarding the presence and severity of radiculopathy associated with the Veteran's lumbar spine disability during a specific period.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee condition as secondary to his service-connected left knee tendonitis, patellofemoral pain syndrome and chondromalacia patella with instability, and left ankle achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, left ankle disabilities, right ankle disabilities, left knee disability, and left little finger disability. The evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, and chronic inflammatory disease of the uterus with infertility due to a lack of current diagnoses. The Veteran's service treatment records show a diagnosis in 2019 but no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various ankle, shoulder, wrist, and knee conditions have been denied as there is no current evidence of these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral foot condition was not aggravated by his military service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection. The claims for service connection for an eye condition, OSA, IBS, and left ankle strain are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The appeal for attorney fees based on past-due benefits from a February 2023 rating decision is dismissed as the appellant was found eligible for such fees in a July 2023 Statement of the Case Fee Decision.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, which includes a fracture fragment of the distal tibial plafond and a chronic tear of the anterior talofibular ligament with degenerative changes, has been granted a rating of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity condition, specifically ankle pain and swelling. The VA examiner is required to determine if there is a current diagnosis of ankle problems and whether the Veteran's reported lower extremity pain results in functional impairment for VA purposes.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection of bilateral hip and knee disorders, as well as a left ankle disorder, require additional examination to determine their etiology.