Ankle decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a left ankle disability, neck disability, right hip and shoulder disabilities, PTSD, bilateral hand and hip disabilities, and low back disability. The decision also addressed other issues related to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the obtaining of medical records.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of extraschedular considerations.

The Board found no evidence of a current underlying disorder associated with the Veteran's complaints, and thus denied service connection for all claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete examination and failure to address DeLuca factors. The Veteran's service-connected calcaneal spurs of the left foot, talonavicular joint arthritis, bilateral Achilles tendonitis, and low back disorder are also being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle injury and postoperative right inguinal hernia are currently rated at the maximum allowable under their respective diagnostic codes. The Veteran's anatomical loss of the right testicle does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of residuals of a ruptured right eardrum, and thus denied the claim for service connection for this condition. The heart and right ankle disorders are remanded as additional development is necessary to determine their etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before deciding the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ankle condition due to flat feet.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current disabilities are related to service and to rate his left knee disability.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected right ankle and left foot disabilities. The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum allowed under Diagnostic Code 5271. The Veteran's left foot disability is rated at 20 percent based on moderate severity.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left ankle disability and low back disability are denied, while the claim for bilateral pes planus is pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inability to produce a hearing transcript and the Veteran's request for another Travel Board hearing. The claim will be referred back to the RO for scheduling of the new hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current skin disorder that is due to or aggravated by active service, and thus denied her claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities of either ankle, suppurative otitis media in the left ear, or seborrheic dermatitis. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bleeding in the stomach, a subdural hematoma, wrist, ankle, neck, elbow, and knee disorders, fatigue, and headaches have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a bilateral ankle disorder and an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral pes planus was denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to scheduling issues and the Veteran's active duty status.