Ankle decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no evidence of these conditions during active duty and insufficient medical evidence linking them to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found no evidence of a right hand disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or gastrointestinal disability due to service. Service connection was also not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as they are not shown to be related to his active duty.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a right ankle disorder, right shoulder disability, sinusitis, or chronic disabilities involving joint pain of his wrists, elbows, knees and ankles due to disease or injury incurred in service. However, it is just as likely as not that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims are not ready for final decision and has ordered additional development to be completed.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral temporomandibular disorder bruxism, lumbar scoliosis degenerative disc disease L4-5 and facet arthropathy L5-S1, and degenerative joint disease right ankle are not rated higher than the current assigned ratings.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for a right talar dome lesion, an initial compensable rating for chronic headaches, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a left ankle fracture. The March 2006 VA examination was found to be inadequate for determining whether the appellant had a currently diagnosed talar dome lesion.

The Board is remanding the claims for higher ratings for left knee disability, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, recurrent ear infections, right ankle disability, and hypertension. The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is denied as not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The residuals of right ankle injury, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with a compression fracture at the first lumbar vertebra, and left clavicle fracture are evaluated based on their current manifestations.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a back disorder, left hip disorder, left leg disorder, left ankle disorder, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the feet and bilateral ankle disabilities, finding that these conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by service and were not proximately due to or the result of service-connected plantar warts and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, right ankle disability, and right knee disability. The issues were remanded due to a need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability and a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities were not proximately due to or caused by his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right knee and left ankle disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current disability status.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a right elbow disability, bilateral ankle disability, and low back disability with left hip problems. The Veteran's current disabilities are found to be related to his active military service.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, including residuals of a fracture and degenerative joint disease, is currently rated at 20 percent. From April 6, 2007, the rating has been increased to 30 percent due to additional functional impairment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left leg, knee, ankle, and/or foot disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing any current disability related to his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for left knee and ankle disabilities, which he claims are related to his active military service. The Board has determined that additional development is necessary due to the lack of definitive opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Veteran was granted separate 10 percent evaluations for traumatic arthritis of the left knee in April 2003.

The Veteran's Alzheimer's disease is not found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The Board also determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.