Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for his left ankle, right ankle, left knee, or sinus disabilities. His hip disabilities remain denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left foot conditions, as well as right and left hip conditions are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The Board finds that there is no current disability for these conditions.

The appeal as to entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine with right hand radiculopathy is dismissed. The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits are granted from December 25, 2006 to May 1, 2012.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted as secondary to her service-connected PTSD. The right ankle sprain is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's left ankle disability was previously rated at 20 percent, and the RO reduced this to 10 percent. The Board found that the reduction was improper due to lack of improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The appellant withdrew all pending appeals regarding the ratings and service connection for various conditions, including major depressive disorder with anxious mood, asthma, allergic rhinitis, left ankle sprain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), right hip osteoarthrosis, right knee osteoarthrosis, hypertension, fatigue, migraine, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's OSA and right ankle disability are granted service connection, while the Veteran's Persistent Depressive Disorder claim is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from April 21, 2018 to January 25, 2021 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, cervical spine strain, bilateral knee disability, right ankle sprain, lumbar spine strain, tinnitus, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, prevent him from securing substantially gainful employment. The Board granted TDIU based on the cumulative effects of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 23, 2009. The Board granted entitlement to TDIU effective April 23, 2009.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right elbow condition, right ankle condition (including Achilles tendonitis), right shoulder condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, and back condition. The Board also found that bilateral pes planus began during active duty.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted in March 2021 was inadequate for decisional purposes and has ordered a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the bilateral ankles.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peroneal tendonitis of the right ankle with instability and left knee osteoarthritis as secondary to that condition are granted. The claim for service connection for right knee osteoarthritis is remanded due to lack of evidence linking it to service or a service-connected disability, while the claim for right lateral epicondylitis (right elbow) is also remanded.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic left foot disability, chronic right foot disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizoaffective disorder), chronic lumbar spine disorder, chronic cervical spine disorder, chronic left shoulder disorder, chronic left knee disorder, chronic right knee disorder, chronic left ankle disorder, and chronic right ankle disorder. The claims are being remanded for further review.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ankle degenerative joint disease, finding that his current disability is related to symptoms he experienced during service and since then.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found no evidence of a direct relationship between the current sleep apnea, cervical strain, right shoulder strain, and lateral collateral ligament sprain, right ankle disabilities and active service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on three issues have been dismissed due to their death.

Your appeal regarding your right ankle disorder has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board cannot issue a decision on this claim as it is no longer pending.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left ankle disability has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in July 2024.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection must be remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The AOJ is instructed to schedule appropriate examinations and obtain clarifications on medical issues related to the Veteran's hip, thigh, foot, ankle, heel, and erectile dysfunction.