Ankle Board decisions

The Board has denied service connection for left knee, left hip, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability. The claim for sleep apnea is remanded as the Veteran's lay statements suggest a possible in-service onset.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions are etiologically linked to his active-duty service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left ankle sprain is related to his active-duty service in the U.S. Air Force and should be granted service connection on a direct basis, but there are issues with the current VA medical opinion regarding secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, left heel disability, and ear drainage have all been denied. The Board found no current disabilities that meet the criteria for these conditions based on VA standards.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU and DEA benefits prior to December 7, 2020 is denied as there was no formal or informal claim received prior to that date. The effective dates for the TDIU and DEA benefits are both set at December 7, 2020.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle and right wrist disabilities are not related to service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnoses and any in-service injury or disease.,Both conditions were diagnosed many years after service, with no contemporaneous records indicating symptoms during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability is granted effective May 28, 2021. An earlier effective date prior to this date is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and back disabilities, finding that there is no current disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to procedural defects.,These issues include claims for various conditions such as arthritis, anxiety and depression, and tumors.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for hemorrhoids, left inguinal hernia, painful residual left ankle scar, or tinea pedis with onychomycosis.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 31, 2014 for the service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, a left shoulder disability, and limitation of motion of the left ankle.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for low back and left ankle disabilities, both secondary to service-connected right knee arthritis. The decision is due to a predecisional error in the duty to assist.

The Board has denied an increased rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability, but has remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's right ankle strain is rated at a maximum of 20 percent, effective February 7, 2021. The rating was granted as the symptoms more nearly approximated marked limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis, left and right ankle tendonitis, and lumbar degenerative arthritis due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his right ankle disability is being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for a new examination.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including ankle, hand, foot, and shoulder disorders as well as insomnia and headaches. The claims of type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, GERD, hypertension, and heart disorder are remanded due to potential toxic exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's heart disability, respiratory disability, diabetes mellitus, and various peripheral neuropathies and radiculopathies are not service-connected. The cervical spine disability is also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on several ankle sprains, shin splints, and nerve conditions have been dismissed.,Service connection for TBI has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted with an effective date of April 23, 2015, based on his service-connected disabilities meeting the schedular criteria for a TDIU.