Ankle decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to questions regarding whether the Veteran's current ankle and foot disorders are related to service, including pes planus.

The Veteran's right ankle and right foot disabilities have been granted service connection, but the initial ratings assigned are both 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the April 2003 RO decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of the claims for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected left ankle disability, currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board found no evidence of chronic conditions for the claimed disabilities and denied service connection for all issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected foot conditions and right ankle pain. The claims will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for right knee and low back disabilities, which are now pending. The appeal is mixed as some issues have been granted while others were denied or not addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected status post right ankle fracture with osteomyelitis is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has granted a separate rating for osteomyelitis.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and increased evaluation have been denied. The Board found that the earliest date of claim was September 6, 2001, which is later than the effective dates sought by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The left spermatocele with groin pain was not found to warrant a compensable evaluation, while the right ankle disorder was determined not to be related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's application to reopen her claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current residuals of bilateral ankle sprains are not shown, and his bilateral foot disability (plantar fasciitis) is considered to have originated in service. The decision on these two issues is mixed - one issue was granted while another was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot/ankle injury and a psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of right ankle contusion, bilateral lower extremity numbness (including bilateral peripheral neuropathy), chronic vision disorder, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of low back pain, right knee disorder, or bilateral ankle pain. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions warranted a higher rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for lumbar strain, now styled as lumbar strain. However, the evidence does not establish a current diagnosis or link between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his period of active service.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed thoracolumbar spine, right shoulder, right elbow, bilateral ankle, or right knee disability that was incurred in service. The Veteran's hearing loss is also not considered to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral heel, ankle, and hip conditions are not related to her service-connected low back disability. The claims for service connection have been denied.