Ankle decisions — 2014

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and did not provide evidence to support an in-service injury. As such, service connection for a left ankle disability was denied.

For the period from November 22, 2006 to September 29, 2009, the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's current low back disorder is not etiologically related to active service.

The Board found no current disability related to the Veteran's ankle sprains during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claimed low back, bilateral hip, left knee, and left ankle disorders are not service-connected. The evidence does not establish a direct relationship to service or any presumptive conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim. The right ankle disability was also not granted as it is related to a pre-existing condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner and attempting to obtain SSA records. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ankle disability is pending.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle has been granted with an effective date of May 30, 2007. The case is remanded due to a disagreement on the assigned effective date and because additional VA records are needed for the skin disability claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The Board finds that without a current diagnosis, the criteria for entitlement to service connection have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition. The right ankle/foot disorder issue remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and a disorder of either ankle. The claim is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right ankle fracture with surgical repair is denied as the disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher initial disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for residuals of left ankle fracture with recurring ankle sprains was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current manifestations of his disability.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5271 for limitation of motion. The evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Reiter's Syndrome or currently diagnosed disabilities of the bilateral wrists and ankles. The May 2012 VA examination report is highly persuasive regarding these issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and confirming school/work absences. The Veteran's initial ratings for migraine headaches, seborrheic dermatitis, and right ankle sprain will be reviewed after these developments.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, right ankle disability, left ankle degenerative changes with talonavicular joint involvement, and bilateral knee disability as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected shrapnel wound scars affecting his right ankle, right thigh, left thigh, and left buttock were denied as the Veteran did not report for a VA examination to evaluate these conditions.

The Veteran's left ankle strain has not been shown to be productive of marked limitation of motion prior to June 21, 2011. The Board found that the disability rating should remain at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosed back disorder is at least as likely as not related to her military service, and thus service connection for a back disorder is granted.

The Board has ordered additional development of the claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and considering new evidence submitted by the Veteran's representative. The case will be returned to the Board for further consideration.