Ankle decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for various foot, knee, and lumbosacral conditions. The evidence did not establish a link between current disabilities and service.

The Board has denied increased disability ratings for the veteran's service-connected right ankle disability and left knee tendonitis.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left and right ankle disabilities were denied as the evidence did not support ratings higher than 20 percent.

The Board granted service connection for various conditions and assigned a 10 percent rating. The effective date is not specified.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral strain, left ankle disability, and left knee disability. The appeals were not about service connection.

The Board found no current disabilities for the low back, right knee, or right ankle. The hearing loss was within normal limits. Service connection is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed disability in service and no medical nexus to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, low back disability, obesity, right hip disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability. The appeals were based on direct service connection rather than any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a left ankle fracture warrant an increased rating to 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 5262 for impairment of the tibia and fibula, as his disability more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.

The veteran meets the criteria for a separate rating for right ankle burn scars and is granted special monthly compensation for loss of use of the right foot due to service-connected right ankle disability.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a right ankle disability is denied as there was no prior formal or informal claim filed within one year before the October 31, 2002 submission.

The veteran's TDIU benefits are granted with an effective date of June 14, 2003. The Board found that the evidence supported a finding of unemployability due to his service-connected psychiatric disability as early as September 1983.

The Board finds that the veteran's low back disorder is secondary to his service-connected lower extremity disabilities and grants secondary service connection. The left ankle fracture residuals are rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available.

The Board denied increased disability evaluations for DJD of the right and left ankles, both currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if any current right ankle disability with arthritis is etiologically related to service. The veteran's chronic complaints of right ankle problems during service warrant such an examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not proximately due to VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. The appeals for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 have been denied.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking the veteran's low back and right ankle disorders to his service-connected right knee disorder, thus denying both claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a left ankle disability or neurological impairment of the lumbosacral spine to include sciatica that is caused by his service-connected right ankle disability.,There is no evidence showing that the veteran's psychiatric disorder was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a right ankle disability. However, it was denied as there is no current diagnosed right ankle disability and the injury occurred outside of active duty. The low back disability was also denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or housebound status.