Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral foot conditions other than pes planus and left foot strain, right and left foot plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia and left foot Morton's neuroma. The Veteran is not shown to have a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's right knee and low back disabilities are granted service connection, but his left ankle and right heel disabilities are denied. The case is remanded for further development regarding potential radiation exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches, right upper extremity neuropathy, urinary dysfunction, asthma, and various knee and ankle disorders, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to April 1, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal for Hepatitis C has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the issuance of a decision.,The claims for low back, left knee, right knee, and right ankle disorders have been reopened due to new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for shrapnel wound, left ankle, muscle group XII; left ankle, residuals of shrapnel wound; and residual of shrapnel wound, right foot are being remanded due to the need for a statement of the case.,The Veteran is currently receiving separate 30 percent, 10 percent, and 10 percent ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's heart disability is granted as service connected, with the condition being directly related to his in-service beta strep infection.,There is no current evidence of a left ankle abrasion for VA purposes. The Veteran's left ankle cellulitis is also denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for surgical scars of the abdomen was denied as there was no evidence of such scars during service or linked to his military service.,The Veteran's right knee medial collateral ligament sprain with mild instability and limitation of flexion were not rated higher than 10 percent, as they did not meet criteria for more severe conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for a left ankle disorder and bilateral foot disorders due to his withdrawal of the appeal prior to decision.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his bilateral ankle disabilities and the addition of a dependent have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal in March 2022.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, left shoulder, and right ankle disabilities are all rated lower than the maximum allowed. The Board has remanded these cases for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee disability, right ankle disability, and heart disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for left ankle disability was denied from September 2, 2016 to January 25, 2022.,A 20 percent rating was granted for the left ankle disability on January 25, 2022.

The Veteran's left ankle disorder is related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted.,The Veteran's granulomatous calcifications are presumptively related to her service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations due to burn pit exposure, and the claim for service connection is granted.,The Veteran's chest pain is attributable to her service-connected PTSD, and the claim for service connection is granted.,The matter regarding gynecological disorders is remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a right ankle disability, service connection for a right knee disability, and service connection for a back disability due to new evidence indicating worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 15, 2015 for service connection for pes cavus of the right foot with hammertoes was denied. The Board found that November 4, 2014 is the appropriate effective date.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for pes cavus of the right foot with hammertoes was granted and assigned a 30 percent rating from October 15, 2015.

The Veteran's PTSD claim has been granted with a 70% rating effective November 4, 2016. The Board has remanded the remaining service connection claims for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic arthritis of the left ankle and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to March 26, 2019.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot conditions due to insufficient evidence in the claims file.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetic neuropathy was dismissed as the Appellant indicated she wanted to withdraw her appeal. The other issues on appeal are being remanded due to new evidence and previous instructions.

The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at 30 percent, and his TDIU is granted effective October 27, 2010. The Board found that the combination of service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since then.