Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has determined that the evidence more closely approximates a 20 percent evaluation, warranting an initial rating of 20 percent for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the knees and ankles were denied by the Board.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder, left knee disorder, upper back condition, and bilateral ankle condition. The claims for low back condition and right foot neuroma were also denied as new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen them.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence to reopen his claim of right ankle disability. The case is remanded for a VA examination to determine if he currently suffers from a right ankle disability related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle disability, bilateral pes planus, and initial compensable rating for IGA nephropathy have all been denied.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence of any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, bilateral ankle problems, left hip disorder, and bilateral foot disorder. The decision is mixed as it grants some issues but denies others.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and left ankle disorders. The remaining issues, including those related to right knee disability, residuals of a right thumb and index finger flexor tendon injury, groin disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right elbow disorder, left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, left hand disorder, sinus disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety disorder and PTSD), and sleep disorder are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent since October 1, 2011. The rating reflects marked limitation of motion following surgery.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of various joint conditions, finding that they were not secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and did not provide evidence to support an in-service injury. As such, service connection for a left ankle disability was denied.

For the period from November 22, 2006 to September 29, 2009, the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's current low back disorder is not etiologically related to active service.

The Board found no current disability related to the Veteran's ankle sprains during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claimed low back, bilateral hip, left knee, and left ankle disorders are not service-connected. The evidence does not establish a direct relationship to service or any presumptive conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim. The right ankle disability was also not granted as it is related to a pre-existing condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner and attempting to obtain SSA records. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ankle disability is pending.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle has been granted with an effective date of May 30, 2007. The case is remanded due to a disagreement on the assigned effective date and because additional VA records are needed for the skin disability claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The Board finds that without a current diagnosis, the criteria for entitlement to service connection have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition. The right ankle/foot disorder issue remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and a disorder of either ankle. The claim is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right ankle fracture with surgical repair is denied as the disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher initial disability rating.