Ankle decisions — 2007

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the right ankle with non-tender scar, effective July 11, 2003.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and the provision of VCAA notice.

The VA has determined that your shrapnel wound residuals of the right ankle, involving Muscle Group X, meet the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation based on severe impairment.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her right ankle and knee strains have been partially granted, with some issues being denied. The specific details of the service connection theory are not provided.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative changes of the knees, resolving doubt in favor of the veteran.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's right and left lower extremity disorders, finding persistent edema that is not completely relieved by elevation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected cold injury residuals contributed substantially or materially to cause his death from coronary artery disease (CAD).

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current bilateral ankle or back disability that is related to service. The claims are denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records from the Huntington VAMC.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and denied her increased rating claims for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, as well as tension headaches. The evidence did not support the presence of current disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for an anxiety disorder and residuals of a neck injury including degenerative cervical spondylosis as secondary to right ankle degenerative arthritis, and also denied his claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for right ankle degenerative arthritis. The VA examinations indicated that the right ankle disability was manifested by marked limitation of motion with constant pain, swelling, instability, weakness, catching, clicking, and popping.

The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent for the left ankle disability, effective April 1, 1994.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. The Board found no evidence of an increase in severity during service and insufficient medical evidence to support a finding that the current disabilities are related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury related to his claimed conditions. The right ankle disability was rated at noncompensable level due to full range of motion. The PTSD with secondary major depressive disorder was found to meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating.

The veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, and his recurrent ganglion cyst on the right wrist is also rated at 10 percent. The RO has granted both claims.

The veteran has withdrawn all of his claims before the VA.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle sprain in service was acute and transitory, and his current chronic left ankle disability is not causally related to service. His current chronic left knee disability also does not have a direct causal relationship with service or any incident therein.

The Board has denied a rating higher than 10 percent for the service-connected left ankle sprain, finding that it more closely approximates a moderate level of disability.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right hip, left hip, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left foot as there is no clinical evidence of such conditions.

The veteran's service-connected right ankle disability, manifested by pain and limited motion, does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to January 12, 2006.