Ankle decisions — 2005

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for service connection for arthritis of the legs and right ankle (secondary to herniated nucleus pulposus L4-L5) was granted.

The Board has granted a 20% rating for the service-connected right ankle disability, including traumatic arthritis. The issue of an increased rating for bilateral pes planus is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including hypertension, obesity, right hip disability, left hip disability, left foot disability, left knee disability, and left ankle disability. The effective date of a temporary total disability rating based on convalescence following VA hospitalization in November 1996 is also denied.

The veteran's right ankle disorder is currently rated at 10 percent since June 10, 1998. The claim for a higher initial rating remains denied.,The veteran's right knee disorder was initially rated at zero percent from June 10, 1998 to November 21, 2004 and is now rated at 20 percent since November 22, 2004. The claim for a higher initial rating remains denied.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's residuals of an old fracture of the right ankle and recurrent right ankle strain, finding that his disability did not warrant such a higher rating based on limited motion of the ankle.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities in his right or left ankle, and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for secondary service connection for a right ankle disability and a separate compensable evaluation for a tender scar over his right knee.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records.

The Board finds that the veteran's claimed left knee disability, headaches, bilateral ankle disability, TMJ, and bilateral hearing loss are not related to his active duty service. The evidence does not show any chronic disabilities for these conditions during or within one year following service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic left ankle disability, low back disorder, bilateral defective hearing, and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The VA determined that the veteran's right foot/ankle condition is not due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining information about stressors and verifying diagnoses of PTSD.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examination of his left ankle disability, and obtaining Social Security Administration records. The claims are also being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and temporary total rating based on treatment of a service-connected disability and convalescence.

The Board found no evidence of a left ankle injury or disability during service, and the current left ankle disorder is not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and therefore, his claims are denied.,No chronic left hamstring disorder was diagnosed during or after service. The VA examiner found no residual disability from the in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left ankle disability is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of additional disability resulting from VA treatment for a March 1999 fracture of the right ankle, and thus denied her claims under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle sprains with causalgia involving the peroneal nerve do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.