Ankle decisions — 2003

The veteran's residuals of right ankle injury are rated at 10 percent, and the Board has now determined that a higher rating of 30 percent is warranted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of a head injury, arthritis, and bilateral ankle disorder. The claims are now considered on their merits.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of right ankle sprain have been rated at the maximum schedular rating (20%) for marked limitation of motion. The veteran's service-connected residuals of fracture of the right thumb do not meet the criteria for ankylosis, and thus are not rated as if they were ankylosed.

The RO denied reopening the claim for service connection for right ankle traumatic arthritis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed as he requested to withdraw his appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision by the Board.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability but denied service connection for a right ankle disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and right foot and ankle disorders, as well as his request for a higher rating for dorsal spine disorder. The decision also granted service connection for degenerative changes of the right foot and residuals of a right ankle injury.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a fracture of the right tibia and fibula and right ankle, with degenerative changes, effective from May 27, 1997, to November 15, 1998.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for degenerative changes in the right knee and a 20 percent evaluation for residuals of fracture with traumatic arthritis, right ankle. These evaluations are effective from July 23, 1997.

The veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and right foot/ankle disabilities are denied. The claim for headaches is not addressed as it was established but not found to be related to service. Service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted with a non-compensable evaluation.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board denied service connection for the residuals of dengue fever, finding no evidence of current disability. However, it granted service connection for the residuals of a right ankle sprain incurred in service.,The veteran's claim for hypertension was not addressed due to lack of action by the RO.

The Board found that the veteran's disabilities do not render him permanently and totally disabled for pension purposes, as they are rated at less than 100% combined.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for osteoarthritis of the right and left ankles with limitation of motion.

The Board found no evidence of an actual injury or chronic disability involving the knees, ankles, and feet during service. The veteran's current complaints are insufficient to support his claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for disability of the right ankle and foot, concluding that there was no evidence to support a finding that his current condition is related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and an increased evaluation for his right ankle fracture, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have service connection for hearing loss, right ankle injury, right wrist sprain, tinnitus, left knee chondromalacia, serous otitis media, or cyst of the right testicle. The evaluation for lumbosacral strain is 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of malaria and right ankle laceration as there is no evidence of current disabilities.,The RO assigned noncompensable ratings to both conditions under appropriate diagnostic codes.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and no justiciable case or controversy remains before the Board.