Ankle decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient medical evidence to determine if any increase in severity of the Veteran's left foot and ankle disability during service was due to natural progression.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The claims for left ankle, knee, and hip disabilities were not addressed due to the lack of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's right calf, left ankle, and left buttock residuals were evaluated as 20%, 10%, and 10% respectively. The Board found that these evaluations did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under Diagnostic Codes pertaining to muscle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, right ankle injury, bilateral hearing loss, and dermatitis of the left foot, do not render him unemployable due to their combined effect. The VA examiner concluded that he is capable of performing physical or sedentary employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric, sinus, and ankle disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claims for PTSD, sinusitis, and bilateral ankle disability are all denied.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to various disabilities, including knee conditions, hip conditions, eye conditions, neurological symptoms, insomnia, and skin conditions. The Board has remanded the case for further action due to a change in the Veteran's residence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining treatment records. The issues on appeal are entitlement to increased ratings for left knee and left ankle disabilities and TDIU.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left ankle fracture and right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent for limitation of motion, but no additional rating is warranted as there is no ankylosis or deformity. The claim for a higher rating in excess of the current 20 percent rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and reviewing the claims file to determine if service connection can be granted for bilateral ankle disorders and hammertoes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a left ankle injury is granted, finding that his credible account of an inservice injury and treatment therefor supports a grant of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left foot and ankle disorder is not causally related to her military service, thus denying her claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an incomplete review of the record and a less than complete familiarity with the history of the disability.

The Veteran's PTSD and right ankle disability were granted effective from November 4, 2004. The TDIU claim was granted with an effective date of April 14, 2003.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left ankle disability can be adjudicated.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for a fracture of the right ankle, as the additional evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right ankle disabilities are each rated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5271 for moderate limitation of motion. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disorder is related to his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board granted the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for facial scars and psychiatric disability, but denied his claim for service connection for epistaxis. The left jaw disability was rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 9904 due to slight displacement.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a rash on the legs and a left ankle disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA medical examinations.