Ankle decisions — 2006

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting pes planus did not worsen during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection. The Board also determined that he did not have any current disabilities involving the lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, hips, knees or ankles due to disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral leg disability, including peripheral neuropathy, and service connection for arthritis of the ankles and hips. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine if the veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, considering all of his conditions together.

The VA has determined that the veteran's post-traumatic arthritis of the right ankle warrants a 10 percent rating, which is the minimum compensable rating for this condition.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the grant of service connection for instability of the left ankle, as there is no competent evidence showing a current disability related to an in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current disabilities of hammertoes, flat foot, and ankle disability are not related to his military service.

The veteran is seeking to reopen his claim for service connection of a right ankle disability. The Board has decided that additional development, including obtaining SSA records, is needed before the case can be fully adjudicated.

The veteran's combined disability rating is 80 percent, but his service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the veteran's right ankle and left knee disorders did not originate in service or due to military exposure, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found that the October 1971 rating decision denying service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, thus denying the veteran's request for an earlier effective date.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left foot and a left ankle disability.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed disabilities, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated by active duty and did not meet the criteria for an undiagnosed illness. The claims for a bilateral knee disability, left ankle disability, throat ulcer, and respiratory disorder were all denied.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities for the claimed left ankle, bilateral shoulder, bilateral elbow, and low back conditions that are related to service. Therefore, the claims for these conditions were denied.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the October 1977 rating decision denying TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, as there was no evidence of material change in the veteran's condition between 1977 and 1996.

The Board finds that the veteran's degenerative arthritis of the right ankle is due to an injury sustained during service, and grants service connection for this condition. The gastrointestinal disorder is found to be less likely related to service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence linking the current left and right ankle conditions to service, including as secondary to a service-connected condition. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, sinus disorder, and gastrointestinal disorder. The claims for a right ankle disability and back disability are denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left ankle disorders, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for reactive airway disease. The RO granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected right ankle disorder.

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for the service-connected chronic lateral instability and degenerative changes of the left ankle, which is more than the current 20 percent rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disorders, as well as his attempt to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for venous insufficiency of the bilateral lower extremities. The evidence did not demonstrate an association between these conditions and military service.