Ankle Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right ankle disorder is related to her military service. A new VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including residual sprain of the left ankle, sleep apnea, left hip trochanteric pain syndrome with arthritis, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with arthritis, and erectile dysfunction, have been granted. A 10 percent rating has also been assigned for a right shoulder scar.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral flat foot, left ankle sprain, and right ankle condition due to errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's malunion of fracture of the right ankle lateral malleolus, to include tendonitis and pain, is granted as service-connected. The left ankle sprain issue remains denied.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is granted with a rating of 20 percent prior to June 30, 2020 and 30 percent from that date. Service connection for his right knee disability is also granted. The Veteran is granted TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for chronic diarrhea has been dismissed as the decision was not final and appealable.,The appeals for higher ratings for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and tinnitus have all been dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD).,Service connection for right ear hearing loss has not been established as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA's definition of hearing loss.

New and relevant evidence has been received regarding the previously denied matters of service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder, knee, ankle, hip, lower back, upper back, neck, and pes planus. The claims are being readjudicated.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee, right knee, cervical spine, and left ankle degenerative joint diseases have been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle pain and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) due to her failure to appear at scheduled VA examinations.,For lumbosacral strain, the claim was denied as a matter of law because the Veteran failed to appear at the scheduled VA examination.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Service connection is denied for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), neck disability, left upper extremity nerve condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, restless leg syndrome, left knee disability, anxiety, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, intestinal disability, hemorrhoids, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability.,Service connection is denied for neck disability. Service connection is remanded for entitlement to service connection for anxiety, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, intestinal disability, hemorrhoids, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left ankle disability, and cervical spine disability as proximately due to another service-connected disability. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these disabilities are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for back, left knee, and left ankle disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee tendinitis.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle strain as secondary to his already service-connected left ankle strain, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder, left parotidectomy residuals, head scar, OSA, back disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder have been granted service connection. The Veteran's TBI, jaw disorder, hearing loss, IBS, right elbow disorder, and left ankle disorder have not been granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The initial disability rating of 10 percent was maintained for the lumbosacral strain, and a higher rating of 20 percent was granted from January 30, 2024 onwards.

The Board has remanded the claims for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, valvular heart disease, hypertension, left wrist condition, right wrist condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, neck condition, right arm condition, left arm condition, sleep apnea, left knee condition, right knee condition, back condition, bowel condition, headaches, and bilateral flatfoot for further adjudication due to a failure to provide notice of the right to a hearing as provided by 38 C.F.R. �� 3.103(b)(1) and (d)(1).

The Veteran's claim for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment is remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records that were not obtained prior to the November 2024 rating decision.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the previously denied claims of service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine strain, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), erectile dysfunction (ED), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left ankle strain, right ankle instability, residuals of a cold injury of the hands, mental health condition, and head injuries. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder and right knee and bilateral ankle disabilities, granting service connection for this condition.