Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's right great toe arthritis, left foot disorder (including left foot hammertoe deformity, contracture deformity of the metatarsal phalangeal joint, hallux limitus, capsulitis of the metatarsal phalangeal joint, and post-traumatic plantar fasciitis), and left ankle arthritis have been granted service connection.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss prior to January 2, 2019 was denied a compensable initial rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examinations and inextricably intertwined issues. The Veteran needs new evaluations for her left knee and left ankle disorders.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,Service connection is granted for hypertension, as it was diagnosed within one year of separation from service and presumed related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral ankle disorders, as they may be related to his service-connected PTSD and lumbosacral sprain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient examination reports and failure to address his contentions regarding chronic pain. The claims are now pending for further development.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected TBI, depressive disorder, headaches, and tinnitus. Other service connection claims are either denied or remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back condition, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension. The Veteran's claims were previously remanded to obtain treatment records and provide an examination.,Service connection was not granted for OSA as it is secondary to the Veteran’s service-connected rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral ankle disability and whether it is related to his service-connected pes planus.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the left ankle condition predated service and was aggravated by active duty.

The Board has remanded several issues, including reopening of claims for service connection and increased ratings for various disabilities. The effective dates for the awards are not specified.

The Veteran's right leg disability is rated at 30 percent effective July 27, 2020. The Board found that a higher rating was warranted for his condition after considering the evidence of marked knee disability since then.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal and psychiatric conditions due to incomplete development of records from his active duty service.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted separate compensable ratings of 10 percent for right ankle limitation of motion and left ankle limitation of motion, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claims for entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability, low back disability, left ankle disability, bilateral hip disabilities, and bilateral leg disabilities were granted. A rating of 10 percent was assigned for left knee chondromalacia from February 28, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right knee condition is related to his service. The VA examiner needs to consider the Veteran's reports of continuous right knee pain since service and provide an opinion on its relation to service.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for a left ankle disability. Additional development is needed, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle condition, to include as secondary to his right ankle disability, needs further examination and medical opinion.