Ankle decisions — 2006

The Board has ordered additional development due to the veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations and because of the lack of relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of right ankle, left ankle, right knee, or left knee disorders. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased rating, service connection for secondary peripheral neuropathy, and TDIU due to his service-connected left ankle disability. The RO had previously increased the disability rating from 10% to 20%, then to 30%.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back, right hip, right ankle, and right foot disorders. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.,There was no chronicity of symptoms in service or within one year post-service that would support presumptive service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection as a bilateral ankle and foot condition, finding that it was not incurred during or due to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including headaches, low back disorder, and bilateral leg and ankle disorder, were not incurred or aggravated by active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of chronicity or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a videoconference hearing at the RO.

The Board has granted service connection for post-surgery residuals of the left great toe, degenerative joint disease of the left ankle as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities, and hammertoes of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th toes as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle disability was aggravated during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and therefore service connection is denied for all issues.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected low back strain, right ankle arthritis, left ankle strain, and chronic sinusitis have all been denied.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a fracture of the right tibia with secondary deformity and arthritis, which is subject to the amputation rule.

The Board found that the veteran's avascular necrosis of the left ankle with severe degenerative joint disease was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by such service.

The Board found no evidence of a left ankle fracture or injury during service and concluded that the veteran's current left ankle disorder is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and right knee conditions secondary to his service-connected gunshot wound to the right hip. The decision found no chronic bilateral ankle disability and noted that there was no medical evidence of a current bilateral ankle disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation, service connection, and reopening of a claim for secondary service connection due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between his service-connected right ankle sprain and his claimed conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with a 20 percent rating assigned for left shoulder pain and crepitation due to undiagnosed illness effective March 13, 2006. The other issues remain in controversy.

The Board dismissed the appeal on the issues of service connection for arthritis in the low back and bilateral hips, as well as the increased rating claim for pes planus. The veteran withdrew his appeals on these matters prior to a decision.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The RO granted a 10 percent evaluation for cluster headaches and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, but did not grant any additional evaluations or establish service connection for other conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury, including arthritis. However, the claim related to residuals of a left ankle injury is denied as there is no evidence showing it was incurred in or aggravated during active service.