Ankle decisions — 2006

The veteran's hypertension is rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of claim. The Board found no evidence to support service connection for a bilateral ankle condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability as secondary to his right ankle disability, and denied an increase in rating for his right ankle disability. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural issues, including the need for a Statement of the Case addressing earlier effective dates and other matters.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current residuals of a right ankle injury or head injury, to include headaches, as a result of service. The preponderance of evidence is against both claims.

The VA has denied all increased rating claims for the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right eye cataract, right and left ankle injuries, right and left knee injuries, and right shoulder acromioclavicular separation.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence is against finding that residuals of a left ankle injury are related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for lung and heart conditions, flat feet, left ankle disability, DJD of the right knee, and dermatitis due to mustard gas exposure. The claims were not reopened as new and material evidence was not provided.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and severity of his right shoulder, knee, and ankle disabilities, as well as whether any current disabilities are related to service or other factors.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including issuance of a statement of the case and notification of the need to file a substantive appeal.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's right ankle injury and shortened lower extremity to his service, thus denying both claims for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claims of bilateral pes planus, left shoulder dislocation, and low back disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed left hip, knee, ankle, and foot disabilities are not related to his active service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left ankle and right eye disabilities, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation of post-traumatic arthritis, left knee; reopening service connection for a left ankle disability and service connection for a back disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating or service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence, including obtaining a VA examination and opinion regarding his anxiety disorder claim. Additionally, he needs VCAA notice concerning increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determination records. The veteran is also seeking separate ratings for left ankle orthopedic impairment and left knee instability.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected postoperative residuals of the right shoulder was granted, with a rating of 30 percent effective as of April 6, 2000. The decision also denied service connection for a right ankle disorder.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a bilateral ankle disability, and right foot fracture residuals.

The Board found that the veteran's residuals of right ankle injury warranted a 10% rating prior to August 18, 2002 and a 20% rating since then. Service connection for diabetes mellitus was not granted as there is no objective medical evidence linking it to service or Agent Orange exposure. The low back disorder was also not found to be related to the right ankle disability. Tinea pedis was not linked to service.

The Board finds that the veteran's current bilateral ankle arthritis and bilateral ankle synovitis were not incurred during active service, as there is no evidence of such conditions in service records. The pre-existing condition was not aggravated by service.