Ankle decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left ankle disability, finding that it did not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee and left ankle disorders, finding that the veteran's current disabilities are related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss in her left ear, ankle disorders on both feet, knee and hip disorders, arthritis, neck/cervical spine disorder, and back disorder. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and foot disabilities, a heart condition, sleep apnea, and left ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence establishing current disability.

The veteran's degenerative arthritis of the left ankle is now rated at 30 percent, reflecting marked limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right knee and right ankle disabilities were not caused by or permanently worsened by his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The veteran's appeals for service connection for left elbow and right ankle disorders were dismissed due to failure to file a timely substantive appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis, right ankle tendinitis, and bilateral retropatellar pain syndrome, finding no current disability and concluding that any pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right ankle disorder, which was previously denied in November 1998.

The veteran's claims seeking initial compensable evaluations for his chronic right and left ankle strain, as well as his chronic right and left knee strain, were denied due to an outstanding felony warrant for the veteran's arrest in California.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, left ankle disability, low back disability, and upper respiratory disorder.,There is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or until many years after service separation. The veteran's current disabilities are not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for a skin rash and bilateral ankle disability are not well grounded. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and schedule the veteran for a dermatology examination during warmer months.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination. The veteran's claim will be adjudicated again after these steps are completed.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and Social Security Administration information.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to procedural deficiencies and incomplete medical examinations.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and a videoconference hearing.

The veteran is seeking a higher evaluation for his service-connected right ankle condition. The case has been remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for hypertension and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claims for service connection for residuals of a right elbow injury and residuals of a right ankle injury.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a chest disorder was denied as there was no evidence of a chronic low back disorder in service and no current diagnosis of a chest disorder. The remaining claims were not addressed due to the pending nature of other issues.

The veteran is seeking service connection for arthritis of his wrists and fingers, as well as ankles, secondary to his already service-connected degenerative arthritis of the back and knees. The VA has not obtained all relevant medical records from San Antonio VAMC and Frank Tejada clinic.