Ankle Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder, but dismissed all other claims of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left hip disability, left knee disability, bilateral foot disability, and bilateral ankle disability due to outstanding in-service medical records not obtained.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right ankle disabilities, as well as a right knee disability, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on functional loss or marked limitation of motion.

The Board has found that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle sprain and right foot disability due to lack of VA examinations and medical opinions addressing etiology. The claims are being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of right ankle tendonitis, left ankle tendonitis, right knee strain, left knee strain, and left knee instability. The effective date was set at November 10, 2015.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeal regarding his left hip disorder. The remaining issues of service connection for low back, right hip, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hypertension have been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, left knee, and skin disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The appeal for service connection for residuals, right hand injury and a skin disability is dismissed. The appeals for left wrist and left ankle disabilities are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ratings for mast cell activation syndrome, bilateral foot disability, lumbar spine disability, right elbow and shoulder disabilities, scars, gastroesophageal reflux disease with hiatal hernia, and hemorrhoids. The decision also includes a request for additional evidence from VA and private sources.

The Board denied service connection for a recurrent right ankle disability, including an Achilles tendon disability, finding that there is no current evidence of such disabilities and thus not warranting service connection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition is related to active military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The left ankle disability is remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions regarding its relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for VR&E benefits as he is currently employed and has overcome any employment handicap.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including heart, neck, low back, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities. The evidence did not establish a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's period of active duty service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is granted as service-connected. The low back, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica claims are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the date of onset of pain from the Veteran's bilateral ankle scars associated with his surgeries in 1988 and/or prior to February 22, 2018.

The Board dismissed the appeals for higher initial rating for right hand thumb strain, service connection for right and left leg shin splints, and service connection for a skin disorder. The appeals for reopening service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus were granted. Service connection was denied for headache disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral foot disabilities. The decision finds that the Veteran's current left ankle disability is related to his active service, but does not provide a rating or effective date as this matter was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left ankle disabilities, as well as his major depressive disorder. The claim for a temporary total disability rating due to right knee surgery requiring convalescence was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip, neck, back, shoulder, elbow, and ankle disabilities due to credible testimony of in-service injuries sustained during combat duty. The claims are being returned for further development.