Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disorder is as likely as not due to military service, granting his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination of his right ankle/foot condition and a vocational evaluation to determine if he can work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU have been granted. The claim for DEA benefits before February 19, 2009 is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for Achilles tendonitis of the left ankle and pes anserine bursitis of the right knee, finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for residuals of polio of the right lower extremity and granted it. The lumbar spine disorder, left leg disorder, left ankle disorder, and left hip disorder are all considered direct service connections.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee, left ankle, and left hip disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran is also awarded a 30 percent rating for his bilateral pes planus.

The Board has granted a 40% rating for the Veteran's lumbar strain with IVDS effective June 24, 2009. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right leg is also service connected as secondary to his low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing records and unverified service information.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right ankle disability and any associated neurological impairment.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder, right thumb, and left ankle disorders due to lack of evidence linking the current disabilities to active military service.,VA medical opinions found no link between the Veteran's current diagnoses and her service.

The Veteran's claimed disabilities of bilateral ankle, hip, and knee conditions are not service connected as they are not related to his active duty service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran is seeking an initial compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss. The VA will provide a new examination to assess the current severity of this condition.,The Veteran seeks service connection for right ankle disability, sleep apnea, GERD, sinus disability, pes planus (flatfoot), and right knee disability. A VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran claims that his sleep apnea may be related to military service. The VA will provide a new examination to assess whether this condition was caused by or is the result of his military service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for GERD, which he believes may be related to in-service gastrointestinal issues. A VA examination will determine if there is a link between his current condition and his military service.,The Veteran claims that his sinus disability may be linked to military service. The VA will provide an examination to assess the etiology of this condition.,The Veteran seeks service connection for pes planus (flatfoot), which he believes was aggravated by military service. A VA examination is needed to determine if there is a link between his current condition and his military service.,The Veteran claims that his right knee disability may be related to military service. The VA will provide an examination to assess the etiology of this condition.

The Veteran's initial compensable ratings for DJD of the left ankle and patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee have been denied. The appeal is not about service connection, but rather the evaluation of these conditions.

The Board has granted presumptive service connection for a right ankle disability as a qualifying chronic disability under the provisions of the Persian Gulf Veterans' Act.

The Board found that the Veteran's varicose veins, low back disability, and bilateral ankle disability are not related to his active duty service or caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disability. Therefore, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a hematoma of the abdominal wound, atopic dermatitis, right hip disability, right ankle disability, spastic colon, tinea pedis, and hemorrhagic gastritis. The new evidence received since the last final denial is sufficient to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional VA examinations and consideration of his claims. The issues include service connection for a sleep disorder, as well as increased ratings for various foot and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and an examination to determine the likely etiology of any diagnosed foot or ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected Achilles tendonitis of the right ankle is currently rated as 10 percent disabling under DC 5271, which rates limitation of motion. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach disorder, increased rating for right ankle disability, and initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the shoulders and knees were denied. The reduction in evaluation for chronic lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease was also found to be improper.