Ankle decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant an increased rating based on the current evidence of record.

The Board has decided that further development is needed to determine if the veteran's current ankle disability is related to his service, and has remanded the case for this purpose.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a right ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not support entitlement to such an earlier date.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and service connection for a right ankle disability were denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently have a bilateral ankle disorder and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's service-connected right ankle and foot disability is rated at 20 percent, while his bilateral hearing loss remains noncompensable. The RO granted increased ratings for these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by his active duty service and denied all claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service-connected disability compensation ratings for left shoulder bursitis and strain, as well as bilateral ankle chondromalacia. The reasons given were that the preponderance of evidence was against the claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the veteran's service connection and rating claims, including consideration of recent changes in VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right ankle disability is not related to an injury during active duty for training, and thus service connection cannot be established. The claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSD records and scheduling VA examinations to determine if current bilateral ankle and back disabilities resulted from in-service events.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various foot, leg, and ankle disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claim to reopen service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. His request for an increased evaluation for right ankle sprain disability was also denied.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluations of his service-connected low back, left knee, and right ankle disorders is being remanded due to the need for updated examinations and consideration of revised rating criteria.

The veteran's appeal is about his claim for an increased rating for residuals of a left foot fracture. The RO has not adjudicated whether he is entitled to a separate disability rating for any arthritis that may be related to his service-connected left foot fracture, and the VA medical records have not been fully obtained.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination to assess his employability due to his disabilities.

The veteran does not have current disability associated with residuals of status post mandibular prognathism surgery.,Any TMJ syndrome, including muscle tension headaches are not related to the veteran's period of service.,Migraine headaches were neither incurred in nor aggravated by active service.,There is no corroborative evidence of an ankle sprain in service and no objective evidence of current residuals.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for separate schedular 10 percent disability ratings for bilateral tinnitus and service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, left ankle, and right ankle conditions. The appeal is based on a direct service connection theory.

The Board granted the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his low back disability and left ear tinnitus, as well as service connection for bilateral hearing loss, maxillary sinusitis, and migraine headaches. The claim for a right ankle disability was denied, as were those for a left ankle disability, and a bilateral knee disability.

The veteran's service-connected anxiety with depression is rated at 50 percent, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on his severe disability from this condition.