Ankle decisions — 2007

The veteran is seeking service connection for left ankle sprain, either as a direct result of his military service or secondary to his service-connected right fibula stress fracture and right ankle sprain. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claim can be decided.

The Board finds that the veteran's current disabilities of the left knee and left ankle are not related to his military service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of chronic disability during or after service.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran is seeking to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral flat feet and ankle problems.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for residuals of a right ankle strain due to new and material evidence. However, the claim remains denied as there is no medical evidence establishing a link between the veteran's current right ankle disability and his injury in service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and whether new and material evidence has been presented to reopen his claim of service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that there was no competent medical evidence linking these disabilities to his active military service.

The Board denied various claims, including service connection for several conditions and an increased rating for a burn disability. The veteran's appeals were not granted.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's current neurological symptoms, including right leg and right ankle neuropathy, are related to his in-service cerebrovascular accident (CVA). The Board finds that these residuals can be attributed to a combat injury sustained during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ankle disability and rheumatic heart disease.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various hand, neck, low back, right knee, and right ankle disabilities have been denied. The Board found no current evidence of these conditions.

The veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for residuals of left ankle injury, hypertension, and eczema were denied. The RO assigned the current 10 percent rating for residuals of left ankle injury since April 5, 2003.

The veteran is seeking service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities, claimed as secondary to his service-connected chronic lumbar syndrome with degenerative disc disease. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before a decision can be made.

The veteran's bilateral ankle arthralgias are related to an incident or injury in service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected left ear hearing loss, and thus grants secondary service connection for tinnitus.

The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for his 20% evaluation of the right ankle fracture and increased evaluations for both his right ankle and left shoulder disabilities. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical evidence, clarify the veteran's claims, and schedule new examinations.

The RO granted the veteran's claims for service-connected disabilities, including left knee arthritis and left ankle arthritis, but did not grant any higher ratings. The effective date of these decisions is March 1, 2003.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a left knee disability secondary to a service-connected left ankle disability. The September 2001 rating decision denying this claim is final.

The Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected right ankle disability, which is the maximum schedular evaluation available under VA regulations. The issue of a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and the TDIU claim are pending.

The veteran's claims for various orthopedic and psychiatric conditions were denied as the evidence did not establish that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current residuals of a right ankle injury incurred in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.