Ankle decisions — 2001

The Board has granted service connection for post-traumatic arthritis of the left ankle and assigned a 10 percent initial disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen his claim of low back disability. The other issues were also denied as there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to active military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the appellant's left foot disability, effective March 1999. The appeal regarding an earlier effective date remains in controversy.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right ankle and foot injury, including surgical reconstruction residuals, and assigned a 20 percent evaluation. Service connection was also granted for patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee and right knee with respective 10 percent evaluations.

The appellant's service-connected disabilities prevent her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation due to the combined effect of multiple conditions, including fibrocystic breast disease and ankle fractures.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation, and his right ankle disability warrants a 10 percent evaluation. The veteran is entitled to increased evaluations for both conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disorder and bilateral knee disorders, as well as his request for an increased evaluation for residuals of left ankle injury. The veteran's service-connected residuals of left ankle injury are currently rated at 10%.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied due to her failure to appear for VA examinations without good cause.

The Board found that the veteran's current left ankle complaints are not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle disability, which is currently rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5271 (limitation of motion), does not warrant a higher rating. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to new regulations under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, requiring additional development and notification.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 20 percent for the appellant's left ankle disability, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5271.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a burn to the left foot and ankle, as well as ischemia of both lower extremities due to abdominal surgery. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected burn scars of the right foot was granted with a noncompensable rating.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left ankle, finding that it is manifested by chronic pain and functional loss comparable to ankylosis in plantar flexion at more than 40 degrees.

The Board granted service connection for exercise-induced asthma with a rating of 10% and effective date of October 14, 2000. The veteran's right ankle disability was also granted service connection based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder, but determined that the claim was not well grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic bilateral ankle instability existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral ankle degenerative joint disease with talocalcaneal coalition are denied as his current evaluations of 20 percent reflect the highest schedular rating available for nonankylosed limitation of motion.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability secondary to a service-connected fracture of the left great toe and for residuals of a medial collateral ligament strain of the right knee, finding no evidence of current disabilities related to service.