Ankle decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle condition is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied reopening the claim for a left ankle disability due to lack of new and material evidence, as the submitted medical records do not relate to an unestablished relationship between the current condition and service.

The Board found that the veteran's current left ankle condition was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for multiple joint and back disorders, claiming they are related to an accident during his military service in December 1972. The case has been remanded due to the submission of new evidence that requires further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a disability rating greater than 30 percent for his left ankle condition and TDIU on schedular basis only. The case was remanded to consider extra-schedular evaluation, but no such evaluation was granted.

The veteran's claims for increased rating, reopening of a hearing loss claim, and service connection for left hip arthritis and knee arthritis were denied. The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's assertions that his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right and left ankle disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for the right ankle or any evaluation greater than 20 percent for the left ankle.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional right ankle disability claimed as a result of VA surgical treatment in June 1999 is being remanded due to the need for further development and consideration.

The Board denied service connection for joint pain and a skin condition, finding no evidence of chronic disability due to an undiagnosed illness or direct service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis and a bilateral foot and ankle condition, finding that there was insufficient evidence to support these claims. The decision also noted that hypertension with renal insufficiency warranted a 30 percent disability rating.

The veteran's claim for service connection for his right ankle injury is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and development.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been denied. His left wrist disability is not shown to be related to his military service, while his elbow and tibia disabilities are currently rated as they should be based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied service connection for arterial hypertension as there was no evidence of a current disability and the veteran did not have diastolic blood pressure predominantly 90 mm. or greater within one year post-service.,The Board denied service connection for disease of the lumbar spine with radiculitis of the lower extremities (claimed as numbness of the right leg) as there was no evidence that the condition is related to service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ankle sprain, left ankle disorder, and bilateral knee patellofemoral syndrome to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC. The veteran's claims for asbestos exposure have been denied due to lack of evidence of current asbestos-related disease or disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle contracture and right knee patellofemoral syndrome as secondary to the veteran's service-connected residuals of fracture of the right tibia. The claim for increased disability evaluation for strain and myositis of the lumbar paravertebral muscles is also granted, with a 10% rating effective May 23, 2003. The compensable rating for superficial scar on the right inferior knee is granted.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected left ankle disability, characterized by limited motion with pain and tenderness, does not warrant an evaluation higher than 20 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and a right ankle disability, finding that there is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within one year after separation from service. The VA examiner opined that the current right ankle arthritis and recurrent sprain are not related to the injury during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left ankle, right ankle, right leg, and right hip disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis B, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.