Ankle decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral retropatellar pain syndrome and bilateral ankle sprain, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for residuals of left ankle sprain, but finds that the evidence does not support a finding that the current disability is related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's CTS, left knee disorder, and bilateral ankle disorders were not incurred or aggravated during service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen several of his claims. The right knee disability was found to be incurred in active service.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, left foot, and rib disorders due to a lack of competent medical evidence showing current disabilities or associations with service.

The veteran's red hemorrhagic patch of the right soft palate, left knee disability, and ankle disability are not service-connected as they are congenital conditions or do not have a relationship to military service.

From October 23, 2006 through April 17, 2008, the veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 10 percent. Effective April 18, 2008, a higher rating of 20 percent was granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing service treatment records and other evidence.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented.

The veteran's service-connected right forearm neuritis is rated at 70 percent disabling, effective from the date of grant of service connection. The veteran's service-connected right ankle disability was granted a 100% rating for the period from September 16, 2005 to September 30, 2006 and a 100% rating under Diagnostic Code 5000 beginning August 1, 2006.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed low back, right ankle, left knee, and left shoulder disorders were not incurred or aggravated by service. The arthritis of the lumbar spine and left shoulder was also not shown to be incurred in service.

The Board found that the veteran's left and right ankle disorders, as well as his bilateral pes planus (flat feet), were not incurred or aggravated in service. The VA examiner opined that these conditions are less likely than not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of a right ankle fracture. The Board also found that the current condition is related to his injury in service, thus granting service connection.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left ankle from April 6, 2007. The other issues on appeal were not addressed as they are no longer before the Board.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left ankle disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an examination.

The Board found no evidence of a right ankle or bilateral hip disability in service, and the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that any current disabilities are related to service or service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further action, including scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral ankle disabilities, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and prostate cancer. The Board found no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions, and there was insufficient credible evidence that the veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his tour on Okinawa.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the veteran's service-connected disabilities, singly or in combination with any side effects from medications for these disabilities, render him unable to maintain or secure substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disability and low back disability, as well as his claim to reopen a claim for service connection for a left ankle disability. The evidence submitted since the July 1971 decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.