Ankle Board decisions

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and higher disability ratings, except for the grant of service connection for depressive disorder on a reopened basis. The Veteran's claims for other conditions were not granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle disability as there is no current diagnosis and no evidence linking any present condition to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and remands several issues for further action.

The Board has remanded the issues of reopening service connection for right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right testicular spermatocele, left foot numbness and tingling, and right foot numbness and tingling due to lack of material evidence. The Veteran's lumbar back disability is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for right ankle strain with ventral calcaneal spur and bilateral pes planus, finding that no earlier pending claims existed.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection due to the receipt of additional relevant medical and personnel records. The Veteran's claims for migraine headaches, hysterectomy residuals, bladder disability, thyroid disability, right ankle disability, bilateral lower extremity neurological disability, left breast disability, skin disability, sleep disorder, memory loss, and swamp fever are now pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination for his right ankle disability, and an explanation of any inconsistencies in previous examinations.

The Board found that the July 13, 1981 decision did not address whether the reduction from a 10% to zero percent rating for the right ankle disability was proper. The Board concluded this error would have resulted in restoring the previous 10% rating.

The Board has determined that there are issues to be resolved and thus, the case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's low back, left knee, and bilateral foot calluses disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability.,The Veteran's right knee disability is denied due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability. The cases of the Veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, and asthma disabilities are remanded due to evidence suggesting worsening since the last examinations.

Service connection granted for right and left knee disabilities.,Service connection granted for right wrist disability due to Gulf War exposure.,Remanded for further examination and evaluation of right shoulder post rotator cuff injury and bilateral ankle fracture residuals.,Remanded for initial rating in excess of 10 percent for thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, as well as separate evaluation for neurological bladder disability.,Service connection granted for right shoulder post rotator cuff injury.,Service connection granted for bilateral ankle fracture residuals.,Separate evaluation requested for neurogenic bladder disability.

The Veteran's right hip trochanteric bursitis and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine are granted with specific evaluations. The right ankle sprain is not compensable.

The Veteran's GERD is granted with a 10 percent rating prior to March 5, 2012 and a 30 percent rating from that date forward. The left ankle condition and metatarsalgia are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for a right ankle disability and entitlement to TDIU due to inadequate VA examinations in adjudicating his claim. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied as new and material evidence had not been received. The Board found that the additional evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for left elbow disorder was granted, with the claim being reopened but not decided on the merits due to lack of competent medical opinion linking the condition to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and dermatophytosis of the left hand long finger due to undeliverable correspondence.

The Board has remanded the claims for a back disability, neck disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability due to new evidence received since the September 1996 rating decision. The claims are now pending for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for initial rating higher than 10 percent for right knee disability, service connection for left ankle disability, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability, finding that there was no probative evidence of a nexus between his current left ankle sinus tarsitis and his active service.