Ankle Board decisions

The Board has denied an increased rating for hypertension and has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart condition, right and left leg deep vein thrombosis, glaucoma, lung condition, face numbness, and depression. The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to outstanding treatment records and the need for medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot and ankle disorder and left ankle fracture residuals, finding no current disability or evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right ankle disability has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral iliac artery aneurysm, right; bilateral iliac artery aneurysm, left; carotid artery occlusive disease; infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm; and removal of spleen due to river flukes as secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease. The issues of service connection for PTSD and diabetes mellitus, type II (due to herbicide exposure) have been granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for right hip condition, bilateral leg condition, and right ankle condition due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for neck, back, bilateral knee, bilateral ankle, and bilateral hip disabilities on a direct basis. The claim for sleep disorder, including sleep apnea, is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle and knee disabilities, as well as tinnitus, have been granted. However, the right knee instability and strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome are remanded for further examination.,Service connection has also been granted for TBI, but a new VA examination is needed to determine if there are current manifestations of this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current disabilities, specifically osteonecrosis of the knees, ankles, and hips. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Veteran's COPD and lumbar spine disability were not incurred in service, as there is no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service. The Board finds the VA examiners' opinions to be highly probative.,The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity arthritis/tendonitis and headaches are remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his period of active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and right ankle disorder as a residual of a right fifth metatarsal fracture, both found to be related to service.,Both conditions were initially denied in March 2014 but reopened due to new evidence. The claims are now considered granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral ankle strain, bilateral hip strain, and dermatitis on a presumptive basis due to exposure in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. The Veteran's conditions are considered MUCMIs (Medically Unexplained Chronic Multi-Symptom Illnesses).

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted. The rating issues related to his knees and lower extremities, as well as his left eye disabilities, are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative disease with spinal stenosis and right ankle disability were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings in several conditions, including left sided sciatica radiculopathy and sinusitis. The Veteran's lumbar spine scar and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine were granted initial compensable ratings, while his spermatocele (status post vasectomy) and right ankle sprain with instability were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to incomplete development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding his ankle, foot, knee, and TDIU disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for various conditions, including left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, TBI, cerebellar ataxia, loss of equilibrium and balance due to radiation exposure, low immune system (claimed as other residuals from radiation exposure), irritable colon syndrome, and occasional headaches (claimed as other residuals of radiation exposure).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for pes planus, gout, an ankle/foot disorder and a knee disability due to VA treatment in April 2007, finding no fault on VA's part or unforeseeable event.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disorder was not caused by any in-service injury, disease, or event; has not existed continuously since service; did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of service separation; and is not related to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The evidence does not show that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, characterized by a sprain and degenerative joint disease, was evaluated at 20 percent since September 23, 2015. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current level of limitation in motion.

The Board vacated the November 18, 2021 decision denying service connection for the Veteran's cause of death due to new evidence submitted by the appellant. The appeal is now considered reopened and will be reconsidered.