Ankle decisions — 2000

The Board finds that the criteria for a rating of 10 percent, but no higher, are met for the veteran's disability from right knee degenerative joint disease status post reconstructive and arthroscopic surgeries, residuals of left ankle sprain, and degenerative disc disease at L5-S1.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of multiple joints, residuals of a fractured right wrist, partial amputation of left fifth finger, skin disability (telangiectasis), and residuals of a left knee injury. The claim for increased ratings for hemorrhoids was also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle injury is not well-grounded and denied it.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture, finding that the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The veteran's temporary total rating for post-surgical convalescence was extended from June 30, 1998 to July 30, 1998. The decision is based on the residuals of his service-connected left ankle surgery.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded due to lack of medical evidence supporting his allegations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of service connection for a left ankle disability is not well-grounded and therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for chronic right ankle disability, finding that his current condition is not related to his in-service sprain and post-service fracture.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection of right knee and right ankle disabilities as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The veteran's appeal is denied for an increased rating for left ankle injury and denial of earlier effective dates for PTSD benefits. The veteran was granted a higher PTSD disability rating, but the RO did not provide an SOC addressing the earlier effective date claim.

The Board found that the appellant's service-connected chronic left ankle sprain does not warrant a higher disability rating than 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for septic arthritis, eczema, actinic keratoses, ankle warts, chondromalacia of the knees, right elbow tendonitis, and right ear hearing loss are not well grounded. The service connection claims have been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, PTSD, chronic sinusitis with headaches, residuals of a cyst on the forehead, recurrent strain/sprain of L5, and residuals of a right ankle sprain. The remaining claims are pending as they have not yet been issued a Statement of the Case.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and an initial rating greater than 10 percent for xerotic dermatitis, finding that the claims were not well-grounded.

The veteran was found to be unemployable due to service-connected disabilities as of September 14, 1996. The effective date for the grant of a total compensation rating based on individual unemployability is set at September 14, 1996.

The Board has granted a 10% rating for the veteran's right ankle condition from March 10, 1992 to March 27, 1995. After that date, the evidence does not support a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle disability, currently rated at 20 percent, does not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death. The DIC benefits claim was also denied as the veteran would not have been entitled to a total disability rating due to service-connected disability continuously for 10 years prior to his death.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected below the knee amputation of the right lower extremity does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 40 percent. The claims for secondary service connection for left ankle, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities were denied as they are not well grounded.

The Board has determined that a disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's residuals of a fracture of the left ankle is denied.