Ankle Board decisions

The appeal regarding the proposed rating reductions for left and right ankle disabilities was dismissed as the Veteran did not appeal the actual rating reduction.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for multiple conditions due to conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's dates and types of service.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for both conditions, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review them.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability and chronic fatigue syndrome, but remanded claims for a right ankle condition, bilateral shoulder disability, and left elbow disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, left ankle deltoid ligament sprain, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, bilateral otitis externa, eczema, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain with osteoarthritis, tinnitus, left varicocele, and cystitis, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board granted service connection for a right ankle disability and a right knee disability, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tooth condition, malignant tumors, and left ankle condition are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The Board will consider all evidence in its decision.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral ankle, knee, and hip disabilities are being remanded for further development due to inadequate examinations at the time of the initial decision.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, left knee condition, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition as they were found to be duplicative appeals. The claim for a neck condition was remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for acute right ankle strain, left ankle strain, left knee strain, and neck strain but denied service connection for right hand thumb pain and a vestibular condition.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including a back condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type 2, and various musculoskeletal disorders. The appeal of the claims for a back condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus was dismissed due to untimely notice of disagreement.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right shin splint, and left shin splint. The Board found no evidence of a chronic or continuous bilateral ankle or shin splints during service or within one year after separation.,There was no evidence that the Veteran experienced symptoms of these conditions until years after separation from service.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed disabilities, finding that the Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish a present disability.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right ankle conditions are rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5271 for moderate limitation of motion. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion.

The Board denied a compensable rating for ingrown toenails, right 5th toe dermatophytosis and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, granted a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve of the left lower extremity effective October 31, 2021, and denied compensable ratings for scars of the left forearm and ankle as well as an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right and left ankle sprains, as well as the matter of entitlement to a TDIU prior to January 28, 2018. The Veteran is required to undergo an adequate VA examination to assess his ankle disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for scars, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder was also denied as secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service-connected right ankle disability, finding that he was in receipt of the earliest possible effective date due to lack of unadjudicated formal or informal claims prior to May 15, 2013.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding service connection for scars of both hands and forearms, a back condition, and allergies. The Board dismissed the appeal as these issues were withdrawn by the appellant.

The Veteran's right ankle condition is rated at 10 percent, effective March 28, 2016. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of ankylosis or other specific criteria for increased ratings.