Ankle Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral ankle tendonitis and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service injuries.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the left ankle, finding that symptoms were chronic in service and continuous since separation. The decision is based on presumptive service connection due to a disease becoming manifest within one year after separation.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, left eye cataract, and diabetic retinopathy of left eye due to insufficient development.

The Board has remanded the claims for SMC based on need for aid and attendance, higher ratings for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of both lower extremities, and a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The VA is required to obtain additional medical records and provide an addendum to the previous examinations regarding the Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher evaluation of his service-connected left ankle reflex sympathetic dystrophy and TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and assessments.

The Board has identified a pre-decisional duty to assist error and will remand the left knee and left ankle service connection claims for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis was denied.,The Veteran was granted entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating were denied. The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology for his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his functional impairment associated with his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, pseudoseizures, obstructive sleep apnea, and right ankle disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, as his mobility issues are compensated by the assigned ratings for his disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ankle arthritis, finding that his current disability is at least as likely as not related to an injury he sustained during a parachute jump in 1956.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of right shoulder, ankle, and knee disabilities due to insufficient examination in August 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip strain and right hip strain. The claim for service connection of the left ankle sprain is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA disability evaluation criteria.

The Board dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including right ankle, left index finger, left ankle, and left knee disabilities. The appeal for increased ratings of the right knee disability was also dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder injury and a right ankle sprain, finding that there is no evidence of such conditions during or immediately after service, and that any current symptoms are not related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to active service.

For the initial rating period from April 1, 2011 to November 26, 2019, a higher initial rating of 10 percent for PFB with alopecia is granted.,For the initial rating period after November 26, 2019, a higher initial rating in excess of 10 percent for PFB with alopecia is denied.,A higher (compensable) initial disability rating for the left hand scar is denied.,An initial non-compensable (0%) disability rating for the healed fracture of the navicular bone in the left foot (left ankle disability) remains unchanged.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a chronic right ankle disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder is being REMANDED due to the need for additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbosacral or cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, right wrist disorder, and right ankle disorder due to secondary service-connected right knee disability. The case is being returned for further development.