Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, right elbow fractures, forehead scar, and other conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since November 15, 2022. His TDIU claim is granted effective from that date.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including generalized anxiety disorder, GERD, IBS, rhinitis, sinusitis, dry skin/scars, a bilateral breast condition, pulled groin, vaginitis, irregular menstruation, cervical spine condition, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, lower extremity nerve damage, ankle strain or Achilles conditions, and foot plantar fasciitis. The effective date for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder is denied prior to December 1, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability, right ankle disability, deviated nasal septum, nerve disability (tingling and numbness) secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain, bilateral hearing loss disability, left knee disability, abdominal scar, and skin cancer.,The Board also remanded claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and prostate cancer.

The Board denied the appeal because the March 2021 VA Form 20-0996 (HLR Request) was untimely and invalid regarding the March 2019 AMA rating decision, December 2018 legacy rating decision, and November 2016 legacy rating decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for his bilateral knee osteoarthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and left ankle strain. The criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent have not been met for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus and low back disability are related to service, but his right ankle condition is not. The case is being remanded for further development.,Service connection for a low back disability is being remanded due to potential pre-service existence of the condition and possible aggravation by a service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, right knee strain, left knee strain, and right ankle sprain, including resulting weight gain. The decision also acknowledges that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are risk factors for weight gain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since June 2019, leading to a TDIU effective from June 4, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left foot cellulitis scar, left knee condition as secondary to service-connected left ankle strain, and right knee condition as secondary to service-connected left ankle strain has been dismissed due to untimely filing.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left foot pain and right foot pain has also been dismissed due to untimely filing. The Veteran was granted service connection for back strain.

The Board has found the claim remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ankle disability. The case will be returned for further evaluation.

The Veteran's initial ratings for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy have been denied as the evidence does not support a change in evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to November 9, 2020, for the increased evaluation of 40 percent for impairment of central visual acuity is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to October 16, 2020, for the increased evaluation of 10 percent for left ankle sprain is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various orthopedic conditions, including right shoulder osteoarthritis with impingement syndrome, left knee and hip chondromalacia, left ankle tendonitis, major depressive disorder, bilateral stress fractures, and a residual fracture of the right middle finger have been denied.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for awards related to housebound status, Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35, and Total Disability Rating based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) have also been granted.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as their VA Form 10182s were not timely filed, and good cause for extension of the filing period was not shown.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a right ankle disability, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board has remanded the lumbosacral condition, pinguecula, bilateral dry eye syndrome, right ankle condition, and right shoulder injury claims.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities remain at 20 percent each. Other conditions have been addressed or denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for these conditions based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since at least March 2015, and the Board has granted an earlier effective date of August 19, 2020 for this determination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ankle tendonitis and right elbow olecranon bursitis with lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis have been granted. The claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.