Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, but his case is evaluated on an extraschedular basis due to unemployability caused by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left hand and right hand disabilities have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran has provided credible lay statements regarding numbness and tingling in his hands during service, but the VA examiner found no current neurological disability affecting his hands.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent for traumatic arthritis and limitation of motion. The Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating as the current evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right ankle disability and low back strain have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle disability, and her left ankle disability is less likely than not related to service. The tinnitus was found to be at least as likely as not associated with hearing loss during service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for residuals of a right ankle sprain and residuals of a right elbow dislocation were denied as the evidence did not show that his disabilities warranted compensable ratings.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were not met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied in September 1947, and the Board found that a new claim was filed on August 18, 2005. The effective date of the grant of service connection is set to August 18, 2005.

The Veteran's service-connected post-operative left ankle sprain is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has granted a higher rating of 20 percent effective September 6, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been granted.,Her claim for an increased evaluation for her stress reaction of the right talus and fibula was denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for osteochondritis dissecans with traumatic arthritis of the right ankle was denied. The Board also granted a TDIU effective from March 8, 2012.

The Veteran's chronic conjunctivitis is found to be related to his active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The appeal for a higher rating for residuals of a left ankle fracture is dismissed as the Veteran did not file an appeal.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, characterized by sprain with osteochondral injury and chondromalacia talus, was rated at 10 percent prior to May 22, 2009; 20 percent from May 22, 2009 to January 6, 2014; and 40 percent thereafter. The Veteran's entitlement to a higher rating is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection. The right ankle sprain issue is remanded for additional development.

The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's current left ankle and plantar fibromatosis conditions are etiologically related to service. The Veteran's in-service complaints were not diagnosed as chronic conditions, and there is no medical opinion linking his current conditions to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have its onset in or is otherwise attributable to service. The Board also determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board found no evidence of a diagnosed low back disability, thus denying the claim for service connection for this condition. The Veteran's bilateral ankle disorder was not diagnosed during the appeal period and therefore is not addressed herein.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain and/or fracture, low back pain, tinnitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), and diverticulitis. The reasons provided were that there was no evidence to support these claims based on the available records.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of the case as he is deceased.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the presence of qualifying chronic disabilities resulting from undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.