Ankle decisions — 2014

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The appeal concerning whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen claims for service connection for left ankle and bilateral foot disabilities is dismissed.

The Veteran's right ankle strain is currently rated at 10 percent, effective October 27, 2011. The appeal for a higher initial rating remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of STRs and insufficient medical evidence in the file to make a determination. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations for his right ankle and left hand disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inadequate development and the need for additional examinations. The issues of service connection for recurrent urinary tract infections, urethritis, and a left foot and ankle disability are on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete service treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right ankle disorder is not related to his service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the case can be decided. This includes obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's left knee and left ankle disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, left foot, and left ankle disorders are not related to his military service. The COPD claim is also denied as there is no evidence linking it to his military service.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and adjustment disorder. The Board also found that the Veteran's right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities are related to his military service.

The Veteran is granted an extra-schedular rating for his left ankle disability effective from June 26, 2011. The disability causes marked interference with employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete service records and the need for additional medical examinations. The issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee, left ankle disabilities, and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right hip disorder are pending.

The Veteran's right ankle disability has been rated at 20 percent since March 1, 2008. The rating is based on moderate limitation of motion and functional loss due to pain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing ankle fracture likely existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service. The case is being remanded for further examination to determine if a separate injury occurred during service.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a right ankle disability during service and no continuity of symptoms post-service. The Veteran's current right ankle condition was diagnosed years after service, and the VA examiner concluded it is not related to his in-service sprain.

The Veteran's hemorrhoids are found to have had an onset during service and is granted service connection.,Service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, residuals of a left ankle injury, diabetes mellitus, type 2, and gastrointestinal disorder (chronic diarrhea) is denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals on the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for stress reactions, right ankle, left knee, feet, hips, pubis symphysis and right superior calcaneus; a rating in excess of 10 percent for stress fracture, right anterolateral femoral condyle, with stress reaction of the knee; and a compensable rating for stress fracture, left talus.

The Board has determined that there is no current disability of the left or right ankle, and thus service connection for these conditions cannot be established. The Veteran's claims are denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right wrist strain and right ankle strain have been granted. The claim for PTSD with anxiety disorder and depressive disorders has also been granted, but the Veteran is seeking a higher initial rating of 100 percent. The claim for lumbar strain remains denied. Other issues such as evaluations for other conditions like degenerative joint disease, tendonitis, and patellofemoral pain syndrome have all been granted.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is rated at 20 percent, effective July 28, 2009. The Board finds that a higher rating for his service-connected radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is warranted.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.