Ankle Board decisions

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for right foot posterior calcaneal exostosis as it was already granted in full prior to the April 2023 rating decision. The claim of an initial higher rating for low back disability is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied due to a lack of current diagnoses.,The Veteran has withdrawn her claims for right pretibial edema, hyperlipidemia, hypokalemia, an acquired psychiatric disorder, difficulty swallowing, and left eye cornea scarring.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for LLE and RLE peripheral neuropathy, gout, and lymphedema as they are not related to his military service or a service-connected disability.,There is no evidence of any in-service event, injury, or disease that would cause these conditions. The Board also found no nexus between the appellant's current disabilities and his service.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations of record are inadequate and remands the cases for further development, including scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's scars.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's upper and low back disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral foot disability, and overall body pain are related to his active service. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. Service connection is granted for PTSD, OSA, bilateral hearing loss, neck disability, right shoulder disability, right middle finger disability, right ankle disability, and left leg disability.,The Board has determined that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed.,Service connection for a right ankle disability, including as secondary to service-connected left knee and left ankle disabilities, was denied. The case is remanded for further evaluation of the left knee disability.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left ankle pain condition was denied. The Board found that the evidence supported a 10 percent disability rating, which is the maximum assigned under Diagnostic Code 5271.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right foot conditions, back condition, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, left ankle strain, and right ankle strain. These conditions are considered to be directly related to his active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic back pain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected multiple myeloma. The appeal is being remanded for further development regarding other claimed conditions, including those potentially related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and consideration of his service-connected left knee, right ankle, and migraine headache disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for a right-hand finger disability, OSA, and a right ankle disability were dismissed due to the timeliness of the appeals.,The Veteran's claim for headaches was granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle conditions, finding that his current symptoms are related to his military service.

The Veteran's seizure disorder is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues of increased ratings for ankle and lumbar spine conditions, as well as sleep-wake disorders are remanded.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities effective January 3, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, hypertension (high blood pressure), an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right shoulder condition, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction have been dismissed or denied. However, the Veteran was granted service connection for hypertension as due to service, and his claims for secondary service connection for MDD and anxiety have been granted.

The Board has determined that the November 2024 rating decision is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically regarding the adequacy of the VA examination and consideration of the effects of medication on the Veteran's bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with right foot tendinopathy and osteoarthritis, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain status post ankle reconstruction surgery to include gastroc muscle, Achilles tear, and posterior calcaneal exostosis, intervertebral disc syndrome with spinal stenosis, and right foot hallux valgus, have resulted in a combined rating of 70 percent or more for the period before October 16, 2020. Therefore, an effective date of January 8, 2019, is granted for the grant of TDIU.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in March 2020 and September 2020 are inadequate for rating purposes, as they did not adequately address the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities during the entire rating period on appeal. The Board requests additional retrospective medical opinions to determine the functional loss due to flare-ups and whether the Veteran's pain on motion is equivalent to ankylosis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision on any of the issues raised.