Ankle decisions — 2008

The Board has denied all service connection claims for the veteran's claimed disabilities, finding no evidence of a causal relationship between any current disability and his active service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral ankle disabilities and service connection for a right knee condition. The veteran's right ankle conditions are currently rated at 10 percent, while his left ankle disability is also rated at 10 percent. Service connection for a right knee condition was not established.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tendonitis of both ankles, urinary tract infection, liver condition, lupus, arthritis, right hand tremors, and left hand tremors. The RO previously denied these claims in December 2002 due to lack of evidence supporting the presence or development of these conditions during service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a left foot injury with ankle impairment warrant a 20 percent rating throughout the initial rating period.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right ankle disability, left ankle disability, low back disability, and chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis were denied. The evidence did not support the assignment of higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of a depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right ankle disorder, or left ankle disorder. The evidence does not support service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of residuals of a broken nose, right ankle disorder, or right knee disorder. The Board also found no evidence linking the veteran's current lumbar spine condition to service.,Service connection for residuals of a broken nose, right ankle disorder, and right knee disorder is denied as there is no medical evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The VA determined that the veteran's left ankle disorder is not related to his service or a service-connected right ankle disorder, and thus denied his claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and increased ratings for left ankle disability and lumbar spondylosis with mechanical low back pain, finding that there was no evidence of a verified in-service stressor for PTSD and insufficient evidence to establish marked limitation of motion or disabling functional impairment for the other conditions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a left ankle disability and granted it, finding new and material evidence to support the claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and for further development of his claims.

The veteran is service-connected for multiple conditions including lumbosacral strain with arthritis, left ankle sprain post-operative changes, fibromyalgia, hysterectomy and major depressive disorder. The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude her from walking without assistance, warranting specially adapted housing but not a special home adaptation grant.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU based on their combined rating of 60 percent, and his employment difficulties are attributed to factors unrelated to his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for an increased rating for RSD of the right ankle or residuals of a fracture dislocation of the right ankle with traumatic arthritis, and there was no evidence to support service connection for left hip or knee disorders.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a right ankle disability that is secondary to his already service-connected bilateral hallux valgus and pes planus. The case has been remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct link between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, right ankle, and right knee disorders due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The veteran seeks service connection for low back, right ankle, headache, and right hip disabilities. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and low back disabilities, as there is no competent evidence of such conditions associated with his active military duty. The claim for left ankle disability was previously denied but new and material evidence has not been received to reopen it.