Ankle decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle and low back disabilities are not related to his service-connected right ankle disability.,There is no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current left ankle and low back disabilities and his service.

The veteran's service connection claims for a lumbar spine disability, an ankle disability, a knee disability, residuals of Douft node removal, and a latex allergy have all been denied. The examiner found no current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Board has ordered a remand to determine the current status of the veteran's right ankle disability and its relation to his service injury, including whether it is related to recurrent sprains/injuries.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the bilateral knees and lumbar disc disease, finding that these conditions are not proximately due to or a result of the veteran's service-connected pes planus or right ankle sprain.

The Board has granted the veteran's increased rating claims for his service-connected conditions but denied reopening of his PTSD and schizophrenia claims due to lack of signed VA Form 9 submissions.

The Board has determined that an effective date prior to April 19, 2002 for the increased combined rating of 100 percent is denied as there is no evidence showing a service connection claim was filed earlier than January 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle disability does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent, as there is no evidence of ankylosis or other impairment that would qualify for such a rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cause of death and DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding that his death was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and extent of the veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right femur fracture and right ankle disability, finding that the current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected back disability, effective from when the increased evaluation was first considered. The claim for hematuria remains denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development, including referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for consideration of an extraschedular rating as a result of his right ankle disability. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a navicular fracture of the right foot warrant a 10 percent rating, and his left ankle disability is service-connected as secondary to his right foot disability.

The veteran withdrew her appeals for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation.,She was denied service connection for various conditions including left shoulder, knee, cervical spine, lumbar spine, left ankle, left hip, and generalized arthritis. She also had a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a fractured right clavicle for the period prior to February 23, 2000, but not from April 1, 2001, forward. Her scar evaluations were also denied.

The VA denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's residuals of recurrent right ankle sprain, finding that his disability has not warranted a higher rating since January 24, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation of chondrocalcinosis and entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The veteran's chondrocalcinosis was rated at 40 percent, and his right ankle fracture is separately evaluated.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of pneumonia and left ankle disability, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the latter claim.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome, flat feet with associated ankle pain, headaches and cholecystectomy residuals were granted effective March 17, 1997.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for hypertension, a right knee disorder, residuals of injury to the coccyx, and a cervical spine disorder. The veteran's claim for anxiety and depression as secondary to VA's adjudicative process is denied as a matter of law.,VA will grant an effective date earlier than August 29, 1995 for the award of additional compensation based on dependents if the evidence shows that the veteran had his marriage and birth of children prior to October 1, 1978.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for osteoarthritis of the right ankle was granted, and his effective date for service connection was set at August 14, 1975.