Ankle decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder, finding no verified active or inactive duty for training at the time of his injury. The evidence did not establish current disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability, vision problems, skin disabilities, and gastrointestinal symptoms. The evidence does not support these claims as they are either not related to service or do not meet the criteria for service connection under the provisions of the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Act.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence to support the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, cervical spine disability, and residuals of a right ankle sprain. The veteran's complaints have not been confirmed by current medical findings.

The Board has vacated the remand portion of its November 30, 2000 decision and consolidated the development with the ongoing process at the Board.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left ankle disability as secondary to service-connected residuals of right ankle strain, and granted an increased rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for a left ankle disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of an injury of the left foot with degenerative arthritis warrant a 20 percent disability rating, effective from April 26, 2000. A separate 10 percent disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle is also granted. The evidence does not support referral for extraschedular consideration.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected right ankle disability was granted, with the effective date being May 7, 1991.

The veteran's initial service-connected disabilities have been rated, and the appeal is denied for entitlement to higher ratings.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for left leg disability and residuals of recurrent left ankle sprains, finding new and material evidence. The Board also de novo adjudicated the reopened claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of recurrent left ankle sprains.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current right and left ankle disabilities are not related to her military service, including basic training in September 1975. The evidence does not support a finding of chronic disability resulting from any injury sustained during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral ankle disability, finding no evidence of such a condition during his military service and ruling out any current diagnosis.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left elbow injury, residuals of a right ankle sprain, and gastrointestinal stomach reflux as there is no current medical evidence of these conditions.

The Board finds that there is no current bilateral ankle disorder related to the veteran's service and denies his claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the veteran received treatment for his service-connected foot disability during the VA hospitalization from August 28, 1995 to September 20, 1995. Therefore, he is entitled to a temporary total disability rating based on this hospitalization.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle scars and an initial rating of 10 percent for the musculoskeletal residuals of a right ankle sprain, finding that both conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right ankle disability incurred or aggravated by his active military service, and arthritis of the right ankle is not shown to be present within one year following separation from service.

The Board denied the petition to reopen a claim of service connection for pneumonia and found that no new and material evidence had been submitted. The rating for residuals of a right ankle injury was granted, but the left ankle disorder remains unresolved.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal due to his withdrawal of the left ankle disability and hearing loss claims, while the gastrointestinal disorder claim was reopened based on new evidence.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for residuals of a left ankle sprain, cold injuries to hands, arthritis of hands, and arthritis of feet. The positive tuberculosis test is not considered a current disability.