Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine disability and depressive disorder with sleep disturbances, have rendered him unable to secure and maintain a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 11, 2020. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ankle condition and low back condition with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for his right knee, left hip, and left ankle conditions due to secondary service connection.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, which includes a history of fracture with repair, has been rated at 20 percent since August 25, 2018. The rating is for marked limitation of motion due to pain and swelling during flare-ups.

The Veteran's cervical spine, left ankle disorders (including arthritis), and right shoulder disabilities are granted. The Veteran's left and right ankle disabilities are also granted. However, the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left and right shoulders remain pending as additional development is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left and right ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions, lack of substantial compliance with prior Board remand directives, and new evidence associated since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to August 14, 2012, for the increased evaluations of his service-connected migratory arthritis conditions have been denied as it is not factually ascertainable that an increase in disability occurred.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral ankle condition, and bilateral foot condition (claimed as pes planus) due to a lack of VA examination prior to the June 2019 rating decision on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to a failure to provide an in-person examination, which could have resolved the issue of whether VA provided appropriate care during treatment.

The Veteran's claims for mild right ulnar sensory neuropathy and a left ankle condition are remanded due to the lack of issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right ankle degenerative arthritis and separate rating for right ankle instability was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have ankylosis of the right ankle, which is required for a higher rating under DC 5271.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examinations and the need for additional development of medical evidence regarding the severity and impact of the Veteran's back, right ankle, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right shoulder, right shin, left shin, hysterectomy residuals, and right ankle disabilities. The claims are being returned to VA for additional development of records and for further medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including as secondary to service-connected psychiatric disability. The case is returned to the RO for further development and examination.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his service-connected right shoulder, right ankle, and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 20 percent for the right shoulder disability or a rating higher than 10 percent for either the right ankle or right knee disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of left leg, cervical spine, left arm, and right ankle disabilities before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions. The claims are being returned for further development, including obtaining addendum opinions on the nature and etiology of his left ankle condition, headaches, and IBS.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a throat condition, left and right shin splints, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, right knee disability, left knee disability, trochanteric pain syndrome of the right hip, and right foot pes planus. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to service.,The Board found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his military service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's bilateral foot, hip, wrist, right shoulder and left ankle conditions are granted as direct service connection. The Board finds that these conditions did not manifest during service or are related to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disorder. The remaining issues have been denied as not related to service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, hypertrophic gastritis, neck disability, back disability, right shoulder disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, bilateral foot disability, cholelithiasis, hiatal hernia, and hemorrhoids. The Board found that the Veteran's claims were previously adjudicated in a prior appeal.