Ankle decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate reasons and bases in the January 2009 decision, including whether the Veteran's right ankle condition was emergent and whether orthopedic surgery was available at the VAMC.

The Veteran does not have a current right ankle, low back or neck disability that is related to service. The Board finds no evidence of chronic disabilities at the time of discharge and there is no competent medical evidence linking any current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records. The RO will then review the claim and readjudicate it.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, shoulders, knees, and ankles. The decision is final as no new evidence or claims were submitted within one year of the last denial.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a right hand disorder related to his military service, and the left ankle injury appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a personal hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's appeal of the rating for lateral laxity of the left ankle was withdrawn prior to a decision being made. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and numbness in both hands are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected right wrist, bilateral ankle, and right hip disabilities have been denied. The RO has evaluated the Veteran's conditions under the appropriate diagnostic codes without finding them to meet the criteria for higher evaluations.

The Board denied all increased evaluation claims for osteoarthritis of the knees, hands, and ankles. The appellant's service-connected disabilities did not meet criteria for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to incomplete development and examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination to evaluate the relationship between her left ankle/tibia/fibula disorder and INACDUTRA service. The earlier effective date claim will also be remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for left knee and right ankle disorders. The Veteran is to be scheduled for a VA examination to determine if any current disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right ankle strain, right knee bipartite patella, and thoracolumbar spine strain are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disorder and entitlement to an increased rating for his right ankle disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection. The right ankle disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed bilateral ankle, leg, and knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service. The appeal is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle disability, and a new VA examination is required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to further development of evidence being required before adjudicating his pending claim for an increased disability evaluation for his right knee necrotizing fasciitis and his claim of entitlement to service connection for nerve damage of the right knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, right foot condition, initial compensable evaluations for service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and service-connected right ankle strain, and an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bursitis of the right hip.