Ankle decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle and foot disabilities are related to his service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a left ankle disability incurred or aggravated by service, and the veteran's current left ankle disability is not proximately due to his service-connected right knee disability. Therefore, service connection for a left ankle disability was denied.

The veteran is seeking service connection for left knee, left ankle, and headaches/dizzy spells disabilities. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to assess the current status of these conditions and their relationship to his military service.

The veteran's tinea pedis warrants an extraschedular disability rating of 50 percent, and his individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities warrants a total disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic allergic rhinitis and for increased evaluations for gastroesophageal reflux disease, left ankle sprain, and fracture to the left ring finger. The veteran's allergic rhinitis was found not to be aggravated by service, while his gastroesophageal reflux disease is rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a left ankle disorder, as well as his attempt to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The decision found no current disabilities that would meet VA criteria for these conditions.

The veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine has been rated at 10 percent, but his claims for left hip, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities have all been denied.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current level of disability for any diagnosed bilateral knee, ankle, or leg disorders. Additionally, efforts should be made to obtain treatment records from Columbus Bone, Joint, and Hand surgeons, Inc., and Sedalia Medical Center.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, bilateral hip disability, low back disability, right ankle disability, and headaches, all to include as secondary to a right knee injury.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic bronchitis, left ankle disorder, gastroenteritis, right heel disorder, pes planus, a disorder of the right index finger; headaches or a right knee disorder, were denied as there is no current diagnosis on file for any of these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's right ankle and heel condition is unrelated to his active military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle condition, multiple scars, residuals of an eye injury, and a bilateral knee disorder. The evidence did not establish current disabilities or link them to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a back disorder, left hip disorder, left leg disorder, left ankle disorder, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to her active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee, ankle, and thoracic spine disabilities due to a lack of current disability evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for various joint disorders.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple arthralgia of the knees, shoulders, ankles and back are being remanded due to insufficient evidence. An additional VA examination is needed to assess current disability levels.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have a bilateral ankle disability that was present in service or until many years thereafter and is not related to service or to an incident of service origin, including his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left ankle disability is attributable to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The claim for service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury was denied because the evidence did not show that the current condition was incurred during military service.

The Board dismissed the appeal for right ankle disability. The veteran's claim of respiratory disability was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic respiratory disability during service or at present.