Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, as well as whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for left knee and lumbar spine conditions. The VA is required to obtain relevant medical records and ensure that adequate opinions are provided regarding these issues.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection, as well as an earlier effective date for DEA benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and granted service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to her service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board has remanded both service connection claims due to the need for additional medical opinions and evidence. The Veteran's peptic ulcer disease claim is remanded because of a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding new and relevant evidence, as well as the need for an opinion on whether the condition clearly and unmistakably preexisted service. The right ankle condition claim is also remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in obtaining potentially relevant treatment records.

The Board has determined that there are duty to assist errors in the prior decision and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings for his left shoulder and left ankle disabilities were denied. The left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating allowed under Diagnostic Code 5201. The left ankle disability is also rated at 20 percent, as it already has the highest schedular rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeals as they were not processed under the modernized review system (AMA). The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his left and right ankle conditions are still pending in the legacy appeal system.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied because new and relevant evidence was not submitted.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to October 8, 2020, for the grant of service connection for a left ankle disability was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not continuously pursue this issue and thus, the earliest possible effective date was not protected.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left ankle disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence from July 1, 2021.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA opinions regarding aggravation of pre-existing pes planus and development of plantar fasciitis and bilateral tendinitis during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes. The claims for low back, left and right hip, as well as left and right ankle disabilities are remanded due to insufficient medical nexus opinions regarding their relationship to service-connected conditions. The claim for right lower extremity nerve condition (claimed as pain, numbness, and tingling) is also remanded.

The Veteran's right foot disability is granted as secondary to her service-connected right ankle delta ligament sprain. The left foot, left shoulder, and right elbow disabilities are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left ankle disability was dismissed because the VA Form 10182 was not timely filed.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the lumbosacral disability were inadequate and remanded. The Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral feet, ankles, and knees are also remanded due to inadequate VA opinions regarding functional impairment.

The appeal for service connection for a left ankle condition is dismissed due to an error in the claims processing.

The Board has found that more development is necessary prior to final adjudication of the claims for service connection for right foot, bilateral ankle, bilateral elbow and bilateral wrist disabilities. The Veteran's service-connected psoriasis may be related to his current disabilities but further examination is needed to determine if they are caused or aggravated by these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disorder may be related to his active service, and therefore remands for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection and rating for multiple joint disabilities, as well as hearing loss. Service connection for COPD is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's request for higher-level review was timely submitted, and thus the appeal is considered valid. The VA denied service connection for various conditions in a previous rating decision, but the Board found that the Veteran's submission of his request for higher-level review was timely.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from October 27, 2014 to August 12, 2020 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The TDIU was denied for the period from August 13, 2020 as none of his service-connected disabilities alone meet the criteria for a TDIU.