Ankle decisions — 2005

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions and assigned initial compensable ratings, with the exception of irritable bowel syndrome which remains noncompensably disabling.

The Board finds that the veteran's residuals of a right ankle fracture had their origins during service and grants service connection for this condition. The other issues on appeal are denied as they do not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further review by a Veterans Service Center Manager or Decision Review Officer, and for scheduling of a hearing at the Roanoke, Virginia, RO.

The veteran's arthritis of the right and left ankles, as well as his degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine are all found to be related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear pain and right ankle disability, finding that these conditions are related to service-connected gout. Service connection is denied for the other claimed conditions.

The veteran's service connection claims for low back, right knee, right ankle, and bilateral hip disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected third-degree burn scars, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disorder, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral knee disability are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected status post repair of severed tendons, right ankle and lower leg meets the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis of multiple joints to include the spine, shoulders, hips, ankles, and wrists, as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected trapezitis of the left side of the back. The Board found that the veteran's arthritis was not present during service or for many years later and is not causally related to an incident of service or to his service-connected trapezitis.

The veteran's service-connected knee and ankle disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations. The wrist disabilities are also considered, but the mixed nature of the issues means some conditions may warrant higher ratings while others do not.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of a current disability or sufficient medical support to grant any of the requested benefits.

The Board has decided that further development of the evidence is required, and thus the case is being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's residuals of right ankle injury, but denied entitlement to a compensable rating for blepharitis of the left eyelid.

The VA determined that the veteran's left ankle disorder does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, as his symptoms do not meet criteria for more severe disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disorder and a low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's right ankle fracture and its residuals.

Your claims for service connection are being remanded to the Regional Office (RO) for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records. The RO will then decide whether you are entitled to these conditions based on the evidence provided.

The veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO via the AMC for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a neurology examination. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The veteran's tinnitus was incurred during service and she is granted a rating of 20 percent for tendonitis, right ankle from November 4, 2004 to present.,The veteran's hypertension has been rated at the maximum available benefit (10 percent).