Ankle decisions — 2000

The veteran's left leg gunshot wound residuals, traumatic osteoarthritis of the left ankle, degenerative arthritis of the left knee joint, and left knee instability are all rated at their maximum allowable evaluations.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for a right hip disorder is not well grounded. The claim of service connection for a right ankle disorder, however, is found to be well grounded.

The veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 20 percent from March 1, 2000. The RO reduced the rating to 10 percent effective May 1, 1996 and granted a separate 10 percent evaluation for a tender and painful scar.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, finding that the veteran's back condition began during service. The secondary service connection claims for right ankle and right foot conditions are denied.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral ankle symptoms are unrelated to his military service or any incident therein, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right ankle, right knee disorder and back disorders are not well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture with moderate limitation of motion and synovitis warrant a 20 percent disability rating, which is the maximum schedular evaluation available under Diagnostic Code 5271. The claim for an increased rating is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, a bilateral ankle disorder, and a back disorder are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and either service or a service-connected disability.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected thoraco-lumbar strain and left ankle strain, finding that the current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well grounded and have been denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected left ankle disability warrants a rating of 20 percent, but does not warrant an increased rating.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, skin disorder, bilateral hip, knee, and ankle disorders are all granted as they may be related to undiagnosed illnesses experienced during service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, a perforated ear drum, residuals of a right ankle fracture, hepatitis, and other injuries. The RO affirmed these determinations.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture with traumatic arthritis, effective from when the disability was first rated in July 1988.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a well-grounded claim for service connection for hearing loss, protein in urine, elevated cholesterol, right knee disability, or bilateral ankle disorder. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability secondary to the appellant's service-connected right ankle disability and has granted an increased evaluation of 10% for his right ankle disability.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for a right ankle fracture, as there was no in-service injury and current disability is not linked to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right ankle disability is granted. The claim for compensation under the provisions of Title 38, United States Code, Section 1151 for a right knee disorder resulting from a July 1993 hospitalization at a VA Medical Center is found to be well-grounded and remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle injury and pes planus, but granted service connection for right ankle sprains. The veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased evaluation for his right ankle sprains prior to January 13, 1999 was also denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability on a secondary basis, and his claims for increased ratings for residuals of a stress reaction of the left ankle and for a compensable evaluation for status post fracture of the left great toe.