Ankle decisions — 2011

The appeal is being remanded due to the timeliness of the Veteran's substantive appeal and a need to reconsider whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim for service connection for low back disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left ankle sprain and residual scar, as well as service connection for yaws. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation or service connection.

The Veteran's left ankle injury with retained foreign body is rated at 20 percent, while his claim for service connection of a bilateral knee disorder secondary to the ankle injury is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, finding that new evidence supports a nexus between these conditions and his military service.,Service connection is granted for right and left ankle disabilities as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder, finding it likely related to active service. The left ankle condition and respiratory/sinus conditions remain unresolved.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) has also been raised.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right ankle and lumbosacral spine disabilities were denied. The VA examinations did not support higher ratings based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical examination and providing notice consistent with Kent v. Nicholson.

The Board found no credible evidence of a right foot or ankle injury during service and determined that any current disability is not related to service. The Veteran's statements regarding the nature of his injury are deemed unreliable.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran does not have a current ankle disorder and finds no evidence to support service connection for his claimed bilateral ankle disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a claimed back disorder and bilateral hip disorder, finding no evidence of current disabilities or causation by service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, including locking or catching of the ankle and limitation of motion affecting gait and mobility, is rated at 20 percent under DC 5271 for moderate limitation of motion. The claim for service connection for a right knee disorder secondary to the right ankle fracture residuals was granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability was granted with an effective date of September 7, 1972.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for his right leg injuries, including knee and ankle disabilities, is being remanded to the RO/AMC for further development.

The Board has granted an additional 20 percent rating for the right ankle disability, apart from the existing 30 percent rating, based on the presence of degenerative arthritis and other relevant factors.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for her low back strain, cervical spine strain, right ankle strain, and left ankle strain were denied. The current disability ratings of 20 percent for the low back strain and 10 percent each for the cervical spine, right ankle, and left ankle strains are maintained.

The Board is remanding the case for additional examinations and to obtain updated VA medical records. The Veteran's claims include service connection for various joint disorders, Crohn's disease, and increased evaluations for his head injury with headaches.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his gunshot wound residuals, including a neurological examination to assess the current severity and nerve involvement.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected fractures of the left and right ankles were denied as there was no evidence of additional functional limitation due to pain, fatigability, incoordination, on repetitive use or during flare-ups.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection was not received prior to June 13, 2008. As such, the effective date for his granted benefits is set at June 13, 2008.