Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for clarification on the Veteran's duty dates. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his left ankle disability, which he claims occurred during military training.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral foot disability, bilateral ankle disability, headaches, and sinusitis due to inadequate medical opinions in the initial decision.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection must be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. Specifically, VA did not attempt to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records and Georgia disability records which are potentially relevant to the claims.

The Veteran's left ankle sprain is granted a 20% rating, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The claims of service connection for bilateral knee conditions are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for lower back bulging disc L4-L5, broken left finger with misplaced bone, right ankle sprain, and right hand injury due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is required to be afforded VA examinations to determine if he has residuals from these conditions and whether they are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hamstring strain, mild osteoarthritis of the MCP and CMCP (claimed as injured left hand), sinusitis, and left ankle condition due to untimely filing of the VA Form 10182.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current audiometric test results.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5271.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is granted as service-connected.,An initial compensable rating for tinea pedis (right foot) is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to assess the severity of the Veteran's right ankle conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraines and right and left hip, knee, and ankle disabilities are remanded due to ambiguities in the VA opinions provided. Clarifying medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Board has found that the VA examinations and medical opinions are inadequate, and thus remanding all claims for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of left and right ankle disabilities due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The AOJ will consider this new evidence in their next decision.

The Board has determined that there were duty to assist errors prior to the January 2022 decision and has ordered additional development, including obtaining private treatment records from the Orthopedic Specialists of Dallas and requesting addendum medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of all relevant evidence, including private treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and the correction of a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, eczematous dermatitis, and hemorrhoids due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's left ankle sprain claim is denied as there is no evidence of an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's multi-joint rheumatoid arthritis and right ankle sprain with degenerative joint disease are granted initial ratings of 10 percent each, effective June 14, 2019. The decision also grants an increased rating to 60 percent for rheumatoid arthritis as of March 1, 2023.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, cervical spine disorder, headaches, and multiple musculoskeletal disorders have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.