Ankle Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination of the Veteran's right ankle condition and review of private treatment records.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ankle disorder, including whether it is related to his service-connected left ankle disability. The case will be returned for further adjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot disabilities, including a right ankle disability, are not service-connected as they are considered to be due to congenital conditions and do not show evidence of aggravation during service. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus were also found not to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right ankle disability is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected pes planus with bunions and degenerative joint disease did not cause or aggravate any of his claimed foot, ankle, knee, or lumbar spine disorders. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no current right ankle disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen his service connection claims for ankle injuries. The RO previously denied these claims in September 1998 due to lack of current disability shown.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his right ankle disability. The TDIU claim is also raised by the record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the severity of his left ankle disability and whether he has effective function remaining other than that which would be equally well served by an amputation with a suitable prosthetic appliance.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a right ankle injury is granted as his current diagnosis and credible history support this finding.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection were denied across multiple conditions, including acquired psychiatric disorders, thyroidectomy residuals, kidney stones, neck disorder, muscle disorder, digestive disorder, left ankle disorder, and left foot disorder. The appeals are based on direct service connection.

The claims for allergic rhinitis, tinea pedis, sleep apnea, and a right ankle injury were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claims for gastrointestinal disorder, lung condition, and right great toe injury were reopened.,Service connection for PTSD and depression (inclusive) was granted.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional VA examination and review of the claims file, including recent treatment records from April to August 1995.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right ankle disability or left ankle disability that is etiologically related to service. The claim for higher evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux disease was also denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and granted it. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for GERD, left wrist tendinitis, right wrist tendinitis, spurs and ununited fracture of the left ankle, spurs of the right ankle, or muscle tension headaches as they are not related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a left ankle condition or a right knee condition, either on a direct basis or as secondary to his left ankle condition. The evidence is insufficient to establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his left ankle arthritis is related to service or secondary to his service-connected right ankle traumatic arthritis and/or his service-connected recurrent lumbosacral strain.

The VA determined that there is no evidence of a cold injury to the bilateral feet and ankles during service, and current symptoms are not related to such exposure. The Veteran's condition is considered to be unrelated to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his right ankle fracture, left knee injury based on instability, and left knee degenerative joint disease were denied as the evidence did not show ankylosis of the ankles or severe instability in the knees that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher initial ratings or a TDIU.