Ankle decisions — 2009

The veteran's lumbar spine disability, to include degenerative changes, is not due to disease or injury that was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a left lower leg and left ankle disability, as well as an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected left foot disability.

The Board denied service connection for a right leg and ankle disability as there was no evidence of an additional right leg or ankle disability that was related to the veteran's active service.

The veteran's left shoulder, right leg, and left leg periostitis have been granted a 20 percent evaluation. The chronic left ankle sprain has been granted a 10 percent rating.

The veteran's right knee, left knee, right foot/ankle, chest condition, residuals of a head injury including migraine headaches, and hypertension are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, residuals of a head injury, respiratory disease, bilateral ankle disability, arthritis, right wrist injury, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and right knee disability.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of shell fragment wound, right leg, was denied as the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.

The claim for entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a left ankle fracture was denied as the veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The veteran failed to report for necessary VA examinations, and the evidence does not support increased ratings or service connection for his claimed conditions.

The Board reopened the claims for service connection for a bilateral knee condition and a bilateral ankle condition, but denied the requests to reopen claims for service connection for anxiety neurosis, hysteria, and a bilateral foot condition.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a left ankle fracture was remanded for additional development, including a more recent VA examination to assess the severity and manifestations of his condition.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence was against a grant of service connection for arthritis of the ankles.

The veteran was granted initial disability evaluations of 20 percent for frostbite residuals of both lower extremities and 10 percent for instability of each ankle, effective July 31, 2006.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder as there was no evidence showing the current condition was causally related to active service.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for chronic lateral instability of the right ankle and denied a compensable evaluation for deviated nasal septum towards left, status post surgery.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right leg disability, to include residuals of a right ankle sprain, as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no current disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disorder as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or diagnosis, and no current disability.

The veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 20 percent from May 1, 2006, due to marked limitation of ankle motion.

The veteran's loss of use of the right foot is not medically established, as he has effective function in his right lower extremity and would not be equally well served by an amputation stump at the site of election below knee with use of a suitable prosthetic appliance.

The Board denied an increased rating for the service-connected left ankle venous disability and granted service connection for a vascular condition of the right lower extremity.