Ankle decisions — 2004

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and failure to provide proper VCAA notice.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and requires a VA examination for medical opinions on the etiology of any left leg, right-sided rib cage, or left ankle disorder(s).

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to a need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining medical records from the U.S. Postal Service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disability, left ankle disability, reflex dystrophy of the left leg and foot, arthritis of the feet, and left hip disability. The appeals were based on direct evidence without any presumption or secondary relationship to prior conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied her claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right foot, ankle, and knee as secondary to his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the right second toe and fractured right third toe with hallux valgus. The claim for an increased rating for traumatic arthritis of the right second toe and fractured right third toe with hallux valgus was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right ankle fracture and left knee injury do not warrant an increased evaluation as there is no evidence of marked limitation of motion or instability. The current 10 percent rating adequately compensates for his disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left ankle, right foot, left hip, and bilateral knee disabilities were denied. The VA examination did not diagnose any of these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including new VA examinations to evaluate his service-connected mechanical low back pain and residuals of a left ankle fracture. The RO must also review the claims files and re-adjudicate the veteran's claims under both former and current rating criteria.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral eye disorder and right ankle sprain were denied as there is no evidence of a higher rating based on the current manifestations.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a 10 percent disability rating. The right ankle disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of a right ankle dislocation, cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, and gunshot wound to the abdomen. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating in any of these cases.

The veteran's claims for initial evaluations of his left ankle strain, right shoulder strain, onychomycosis and/or tinea pedis, eczema on the lower lip, and urethral stricture were all granted. The conditions are deemed to be service-connected based on their direct relationship to the veteran's military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher level of special monthly compensation at a rate greater than 38 U.S.C.A. � 1114(l), to include loss of use of the arms and legs.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to determine if the appellant's bilateral pes planus was aggravated during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder, finding no current disability and noting that there is no evidence of a chipped bone or fracture in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle disability warrants a rating of 20 percent, reflecting marked limitation of motion.

The Board denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for residuals of a left ankle fracture. The effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral frozen feet was set at April 4, 2001.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his left ankle disability is being remanded to obtain a VA examination and determine the appropriate rating based on the severity of his condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a thyroid disorder and low back disability, as well as his increased ratings for right knee and ankle disabilities. The RO also remanded the issue of a compensable rating for a right tibia scar.