Ankle decisions — 2002

The Board found that the veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes, as they are not severe enough to prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted a noncompensable evaluation for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a left ankle injury, and has assigned a separate 20 percent evaluation for his service-connected residuals of a left foot disability.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and denied his claims for bilateral ankle and left knee disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his left ankle fracture, right hand crush injury, and skin disorder of the arms and legs. The RO assigned maximum available ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the veteran's service-connected left ankle osteochondroma, finding that it did not present exceptional or unusual disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the left knee, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and arthritis of the hips and ankles due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, or left ankle disorder that is etiologically related to service. Therefore, his claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral ankle disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of current disability and concluding that any ankle injuries sustained in service resolved without residual issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle injury, which occurred in service, did not result in a chronic disability and therefore does not warrant service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of the right ankle, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for degenerative changes of the right and left ankles, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle disability, currently rated at 30 percent, does not warrant an increased rating.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's right and left ankle disabilities, as well as his right knee disability. The current evaluations remain at 20%.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle disorder and bilateral foot disorder were not incurred or aggravated during active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has granted an increased evaluation of 20 percent for the appellant's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, effective from April 20, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for his service-connected left and right ankle sprain disabilities, finding that they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on moderate limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right foot and ankle disorder related to service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for a right ankle disorder, which was previously denied in April 1992. The veteran's claim is now considered on its merits.

The Board denied the veteran's attempt to reopen his claim for service connection of a left ankle disability, finding that no new and material evidence had been presented.

The veteran's PTSD and right ankle sprain with degenerative changes were not granted increased ratings, while the residuals of SFW to the right thigh received a non-compensable evaluation.