Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues related to increased ratings for various knee, ankle, elbow, and elbow impairment conditions prior to the issuance of a decision.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left ankle disability, diagnosed as Achilles tendonitis, was incurred in service. The Veteran also has residuals of frostbite of both feet, which are not considered to be service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, except for reopening a claim for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to service.,Evidence received since a final December 1996 rating decision includes new and material evidence relating to his right leg disability, which he seeks to reopen. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right leg disability separate from radiculopathy is reopened.

The Veteran's December 9, 2011 left ankle surgery was not for treatment of a service-connected disability. Therefore, the appeal seeking a temporary total rating for convalescence following that surgery is denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for the Veteran's claimed low back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities. The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that any diagnosed conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the current nature and severity of his right knee, bilateral ankle, and bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his thoracolumbar spine disability and whether he has a current right ankle disability. The issues of service connection for a right ankle disability and rating for the thoracolumbar spine disability are also on appeal.

The Board denied all the issues on appeal, including service connection for various conditions and reopening of a claim related to migratory polyarthritis or Reiter's syndrome. The Veteran did not have diagnosed left knee, left ankle, psychiatric, or heart disorders.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and therefore he is not entitled to a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected left ankle disability, finding that the symptoms and functional impairment were adequately captured by the current 10 percent schedular rating.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral ankle disability and dry eye syndrome, finding that her current conditions are not related to her military service.

The Veteran's left ankle fracture was initially rated as noncompensable from April 1, 2013 to September 7, 2015. From September 8, 2015 to February 28, 2017, a rating of 10 percent was granted. Since March 1, 2017, the Veteran is entitled to a 20 percent rating for his left ankle fracture.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to an inadequate VA examination and issues being inextricably intertwined.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for a right shoulder disability, a right ankle disability (previously characterized as a bilateral ankle disability), and for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence received since the May 2007 rating decision supports these claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and residuals of a left ankle injury to include pain, finding no evidence of chronicity or continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to her military service and granted service connection.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records, scheduling examinations, and providing VCAA notice.