Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left ankle disability due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's disabilities, particularly those related to his service. The Veteran is required to provide verification of all periods of active duty and ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA, and a VA examination must be conducted to determine if any current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities, including thoracolumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, and left ankle disability. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating of GERD was denied, and the issue of service connection for back disability and left ankle pain is remanded.,New evidence has been submitted that may support reopening the claims for back disability and left ankle pain.

The Veteran's right ankle osteoarthritis with tendonitis and sprain is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds no basis for a higher rating. The lumbosacral strain and DDD are remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has determined that all four issues are properly before it on appeal and have been remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's sarcoidosis, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and left ankle disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70% rating from January 4, 2009. The blood disorder and right ankle disorder service connection claims are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for cataracts has been dismissed. Service connection for hemorrhoids, PTSD, and various other disabilities have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disabilities due to additional evidentiary development being required.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were of sufficient severity to have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to his death, leading to a TDIU being granted.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions. The VA examiners found that there was not substantial compliance with prior remand directives and need to provide updated opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right ankle disabilities due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examinations. The new examination must consider continuity of symptoms, use the correct standard for aggravation (any increase), and provide a rationale for each opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a chronic left ankle sprain was denied in October 1991 and again in October 2008. The Board found that the claims were not timely filed, leading to final decisions. A new claim was submitted on September 14, 2015, which became the effective date for service connection.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is being remanded for further examination and evaluation due to the need for updated information on its current severity, potential ankylosis, and whether it constitutes loss of use.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left foot/ankle disability, finding that there was no credible evidence linking his current condition to service or to his service-connected right foot and ankle disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral wrist condition, lumbar spine condition, right ankle condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, PTSD and insomnia) due to incomplete service records and inadequate nexus opinions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability. However, these issues are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person was denied as he is not considered in need of such assistance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee disability, bilateral pes planus, and right ankle. The decision is based on the need for additional VA treatment records related to these conditions.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the appellant's death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.