Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and the Board is dismissing the case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his back and associated radiculopathy disabilities, which require assistance with activities such as bathing, dressing, transferring, housekeeping, and meal preparation.

The Veteran's claims for left ankle, right shoulder, and lower extremity olecranon scar disabilities were denied in a March 2018 rating decision. The claim to reopen these previously disallowed conditions was not filed within the required time frame.,The Veteran's claim for left elbow conditions, including left elbow dislocation, olecranon bursitis, triceps tendonitis, and ulnar collateral ligament posterior band sprain, was denied in a February 2020 SOC. The claim to reopen this condition was not filed within the required time frame.

The appeals regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right foot plantar fasciitis, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left ankle sprain, right shoulder arthritis, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and left knee condition are dismissed.,The appeals regarding service connection for right shoulder arthritis and right knee condition are granted.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of PTSD, chronic sinusitis, and right ankle disability were denied. The reduction in the rating for allergic rhinitis was restored to noncompensable status.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested withdrawal of the entire appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in, at minimum, the effective loss of use of one foot. The criteria for establishing eligibility for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile and adaptive equipment have been met.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. The Veteran is required to provide authorization or submit private treatment records from the 'JHH system' regarding his disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for a left ankle condition, bilateral foot condition, and back condition/scoliosis due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The Veteran's scoliosis is found to be aggravated by service.

The Board has denied service connection for upper back, cervical spine, right ankle, left ankle, right hip, left hip, right wrist, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence establishing an in-service injury or disease that caused the current conditions.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral foot, left toe, right toe, and right ankle disabilities have been dismissed due to an outstanding supplemental claim. The claim for a lung disability is remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss, and therefore denied her claim. The right and left ankle disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, left ankle disorder, and right ankle fracture are all granted service connection. The right ankle fracture is remanded for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as a result of his PTSD, depression, or any other single service-connected disability. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is denied due to lack of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and insufficient evidence linking his condition to service.,The Veteran's left ankle disability claim is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding pre-existing versus in-service aggravation.,The Veteran's lower back disability claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's depression claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if he has hearing loss and whether it is related to service.,The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and nontoxic goiter claims are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to his left ankle injury.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's nontoxic goiter claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left shoulder conditions, low back condition, neck condition, and right ankle condition. The right foot condition is not currently diagnosed.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to March 12, 1975 and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right and left ankle arthralgia have been granted. The effective dates are set at the date of receipt of the claim (March 12, 1975), and the ratings remain at 10%.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for his left ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of marked limitation of motion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right ankle ankylosis and knee replacements, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since January 30, 2024. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.