Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's right knee disabilities were granted service connection and an increased rating. Other conditions, including IBS, bilateral hip disabilities, left knee disabilities, and hypothyroidism, received increased ratings.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The claims for increased ratings of the left ankle, right knee, left knee, and right ligament conditions have been remanded.

Your claim for service connection for right ankle condition has been fully granted in a February 2024 rating decision, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle sprain, finding that the Veteran's continuous symptoms since his initial injury in service are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ankle traumatic arthritis is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the prior VA examination. The examiner must provide an opinion regarding whether the increase in severity of the Veteran's left ankle disability was due to natural progression and address his report about marching impact.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD, anxiety, depression, coronary artery disease secondary to psychiatric disability, chronic right ankle pain, chronic left ankle pain, and chronic right knee pain as there is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition.,The Veteran's claims were based on his belief that he developed these conditions during active duty. However, the Board found insufficient medical evidence to support this claim.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome was granted service connection effective January 6, 2021. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ankle, shoulder, and knee disabilities as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequacies in previous medical opinions and a need for further evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a higher rating are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors related to incomplete records, including missing STRs and SPRs. The Veteran is also seeking a higher rating for prostate cancer residuals and service connection for gout of the ankles.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gout of the ankles is also being remanded because VA failed to secure an examination and opinion on whether the disability is related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease, a left ankle disability, and stress urinary incontinence due to incomplete or inadequate medical examinations and opinions. The AOJ must obtain adequate etiology opinions and any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to April 1, 2024, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for his service-connected left ankle disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to failure to attend scheduled VA examinations. The Veteran is advised to contact VA and provide a reason if he cannot attend the upcoming examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical strain, left ankle strain, and right lower extremity sciatica secondary to lumbosacral strain. Service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability, which approximates marked limitation of motion. The highest schedular rating available is 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and a left ankle condition have been denied as there is no medical evidence establishing a nexus between the conditions and service.,There are no chronic disabilities or symptoms of tinnitus or left ankle issues noted during or immediately following service, and the Veteran has not provided credible evidence to support his assertions of continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has found that the VA did not properly consider the Veteran's National Guard service and additional periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). The Board is requesting further clarification on these dates to determine if they qualify as qualifying service. Additionally, the AOJ needs to obtain any relevant Army National Guard treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in verifying the Veteran's periods of active duty for training and inactive duty for training, as well as a need for an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of her right ankle disorder.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for ratings greater than 20 percent for lumbar strain with spondylolisthesis and joint space narrowing, a compensable rating for right medial tibial stress syndrome (also claimed as right ankle shin splints), and a rating greater than 30 percent for asthma.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle condition and bilateral hearing loss, finding no current disability or evidence of in-service injury that would support these claims.