Ankle decisions — 2011

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 20 percent, and his left ankle sprain with post-traumatic degenerative changes is rated as 20 percent effective June 23, 2009.

The Veteran's left shoulder, left ankle, right ankle, pes planus, and right shoulder and forearm lipomas were not found to be related to service or any other service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for automobile and adaptive equipment or specially adapted housing benefits due to his inability to walk without significant assistance.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, migraine headaches, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and rashes were not incurred or aggravated by her military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU prior to July 10, 2009 were denied as there was no evidence of unemployability due solely to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an updated VA examination to assess the current extent of his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a left wrist laceration do not warrant an initial schedular disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disorders, as well as right and left ankle disorders. However, further development is required to determine the appropriate rating and effective date for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU are inextricably intertwined, necessitating remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding his right ankle disorder. The issues will be adjudicated again after further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and any existing treatment records from Bentwaters Air Base. The appellant is also scheduled for a VA examination to determine if he has the claimed disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities are not related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating in excess of 10 percent for a left knee disability has been denied as the evidence does not show that his flexion or extension is limited to 30 degrees or more, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260 or 5261. The Board also found no subluxation or moderate lateral instability of the left knee, precluding a separate compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Board has granted a higher 10% rating for the Veteran's right ankle disability as of May 14, 2009. Prior to this date, there was no evidence of moderate limitation of motion, warranting a noncompensable rating.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle disability and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records from various VA facilities and off-site searches at Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for a headache disability and hiccups and muscular twitching of the eyes, finding that new evidence supports these claims. The claim for diabetes mellitus remains denied as there is no objective medical evidence showing it was caused by hypertension.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for left ankle sprain residuals and remanded it for further action, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for malaria has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim for left ankle disorder remains pending as no new and material evidence was submitted.,Service connection for a heart disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his service-connected left ankle disability is not supported by medical evidence of a current disability. His claims for increased ratings for other disabilities were also denied.