Ankle decisions — 2008

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the cause of death and the relationship between service-connected disabilities and the veteran's death. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board found that there is no competent evidence linking a right ankle disability to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that the veteran's current problems in his right ankle are related to those he had during service. The claim for chronic headaches is still pending and will be addressed on remand.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the claimed disabilities, including bilateral ankle and elbow disabilities. The veteran's complaints of pain have not been supported by clinical findings or diagnoses.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have diagnoses of certain conditions, and there is no competent medical evidence linking his military service to any current disabilities. Therefore, these claims for service connection are denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a rescheduled hearing. The issues of entitlement to higher initial ratings for right ankle and low back disabilities remain on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's left foot hallux limitus is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis and/or bilateral ankle disabilities. The examiner must provide rationales for all opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, which represents a complete grant of the benefit sought on appeal. The veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is presumed to have been incurred during his Persian Gulf service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral ankle disorder is not related to his service or any service-connected conditions, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and reviewing the veteran's claims file in its entirety. The focus is on whether any diagnosed ankle and foot disability is related to his service-connected right hip and right knee disabilities or had its onset during active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected left ankle disability and for a compensable rating for tinea versicolor.

The veteran's cervical strain, myositis, ankle sprains, and patellofemoral syndrome of the knees were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have current disabilities of his left ankle, leg, or back that were incurred in service. The preponderance of evidence indicates that any injuries sustained during service resolved without residual pathology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed lumbar spine, bilateral hip, knee, ankle, and foot disorders are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for residuals of a fracture of the left ankle and dismissed the appeal regarding entitlement to an initial compensable rating for flat warts on the left leg.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Casa Grande Medical Center in Casa Grande, Arizona, on December 15, 2004, due to lack of evidence showing a VA facility was not feasibly available and because he had not been an active participant in the VA healthcare system during the preceding 24 months.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral ankle disorder were not incurred or aggravated during his active service, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims for service connection of a chronic back condition, cold injury residuals of the feet, or a chronic orthopedic condition of the feet and ankles. The medical records did not show any in-service injuries related to these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current residuals of a right ankle and heel injury to include osteoarthritis, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder, right ankle, and left ankle disorders. The evidence did not show these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty.