Ankle decisions — 2009

The Board denied initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for various disabilities, including DJD of the right knee, postoperative meniscal tear of the right knee, DJD of the left knee, DJD and DDD of the lumbar spine, DJD of the right ankle, rotator cuff tear of the right shoulder, DJD of the left hip, surgical scars on the left thigh, left knee, lumbosacral spine, and right knee.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, right ankle disorder, lower back disorder, and left ankle disorder as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for traumatic arthritis, residuals of a right ankle fracture.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, and he does not have multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities that would allow for a 10 percent rating under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability, tinnitus, and higher initial ratings for degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and a right ankle disability, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during active duty or ACDUTRA, and no etiological link to service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, hypertension, and tinnitus as there was no competent evidence of a current disability or that the disabilities were related to service. The claim for a skin condition and bilateral ankle condition was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle sprain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), arthritis of the bilateral hands, wrists, elbows and left ankle, and fibromyalgia.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were remanded to provide the veteran with VA examinations.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for right knee and right ankle disabilities as there was no evidence to support a finding that these conditions were related to active service.

The Board denied service connection for a left thumb disorder and a left ankle disorder as the evidence did not support a nexus between any current disorders and injuries sustained in service.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of left ankle sprain and denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The case is remanded for additional VA examinations and to consider whether an increased rating is warranted based on functional loss due to pain, extra-schedular considerations or the applicability of Diagnostic Code 5258.

The Board remands the claims for further evidentiary development.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disorder as there was no current diagnosis of such disability.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and a left ankle disability as there was no evidence of chronic disabilities in service, and the first evidence of such conditions occurred many years after discharge from service.

The Veteran's right ankle posterior tibial tendonitis has been rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board found that an increased initial rating was not warranted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a right lung disorder, an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for chronic left ankle sprain, and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for major depression, recurrent generalized anxiety disorder were denied. However, the claim for an initial compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss was granted.

The Veteran was granted a temporary total rating and extension of no longer than one year, based on convalescence from March 31, 2005, for tendonitis of the right ankle.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disorder and found that the veteran's right knee instability was less than slight, not warranting a compensable evaluation.