Ankle decisions — 2010

The Veteran's current left ankle disorder is related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of arthritis in his knees or left ankle, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn. The case is being remanded to schedule VA examinations for the right ring finger disability and residual scar, right ring finger.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's pes planus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his duodenal ulcer and left ankle sprain residuals.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability. The Veteran is also entitled to an initial rating of 20 percent for his left ankle disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury, bilateral foot disability, and lumbar disc disease were denied as there is no competent evidence showing these conditions are related to active duty.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for service-connected left ankle sprain has been denied due to lack of evidence demonstrating marked or moderate limitation of motion, painful motion, or other functional impairment. The Veteran's osteoarthritis with degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbosacral spine is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran does not have current diagnoses of a right knee disability or left ankle disability, and the Board finds that service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot or ankle disability and an increased rating for his right foot shell fragment wound scar, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the disabilities and active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case to determine if an extraschedular rating is warranted for the Veteran's service-connected right ankle chip fracture.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and considering theories of service connection such as secondary to her service-connected Crohn's disease.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hip disability, pelvic disability, and bronchitis. The Board found that there was no evidence showing a chronic condition during service or related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his right shoulder and left ankle disabilities, as well as the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's special separation benefits were properly recouped from his VA disability compensation due to the law requiring such action.

The Veteran's special separation benefits (SSB) in the amount of $40,532.76 received upon his discharge from service is to be recouped by withholding VA disability compensation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a videoconference hearing before the Board at the RO. The issues of service connection for bilateral foot and ankle disorders, as well as an initial compensable rating for arthritis of the right first metatarsal joint, are pending.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to clarify the diagnoses of the Veteran's left ankle and right knee disabilities, as well as determine whether such disabilities are related to service. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination, consideration of an extra-schedular rating, and potential staged ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for initial review of all evidence associated with his claims file since the September 2006 statement of the case, and for VA examinations to determine if any currently diagnosed disorders are related to military service. The Veteran also needs a hearing before the Board at the RO regarding his claim for PTSD.