Ankle Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle sprain, with an effective date of December 28, 2009. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a right leg scar were also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute substantially to his death. The VA medical expert concluded that none of the Veteran's service-connected conditions were risk factors for his death.

The Veteran's left ankle disability has been rated as 10 percent for the period prior to March 7, 2006; 30 percent from May 1, 2006, to March 31, 2009; and in excess of 40 percent thereafter. The Veteran is entitled to receipt of VA outpatient dental treatment.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues involving increased ratings for right ankle sprain, herpes simplex and atopic dermatitis, duodenal bulb ulcers and reflux esophagitis prior to February 6, 2015, tinea pedis, and the appeals to reopen claims of service connection for low back pain, phimosis, right knee disorder, chest pain, and anemia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cellulitis with lymphedema of the left foot/ankle was caused by his service-connected left foot fracture, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his level of education and occupational experience, and the Board finds that he is unemployable due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disorder and benign prostatic hypertrophy are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for a neck disability and bilateral ankle disability is not supported by the evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of left or right ankle disabilities and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected left leg disabilities result in loss of use of the left lower extremity due to residuals of an injury which so affects the functions of balance or propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of a cane.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches and recurrent left ankle sprain are attributable to service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to outstanding records from his military service. The VA is instructed to obtain morning reports, after action reports or casualty reports for the period of January to March 1970, as well as any hospitalization records from Cam Ranh Bay.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for a left knee disability, but has granted service connection for a left ankle disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confine him substantially to his dwelling and immediate premises.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful activity doing sedentary work consistent with his educational background, work experience, and training.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Board hearing due to her inability to travel for the scheduled hearing.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, characterized as residuals of right ankle fracture with traumatic arthritis, has been assigned a maximum 40 percent rating under the regular schedular criteria. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted for his disability.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's foot and ankle conditions, including whether they are related to his service-connected left knee disability. The decision is pending as it remains unclear if any of these conditions are directly or secondarily caused by the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for migraines was granted, and the effective date is set at January 8, 2009, but no earlier. The Veteran contends that her headaches have been rated based on inaccurate information from an earlier decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of his knee, low back, and left ankle disabilities. The TDIU claim will also be addressed.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective April 12, 2005 due to her service-connected disabilities. The combined rating for her service-connected conditions reached 90% as of that date.