Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for left ankle instability is being remanded due to the improper reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent, and additional development of his current condition is required.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability has been rated at 20 percent since July 2007, and the Board finds a 30 percent rating is warranted for the period on and after July 1, 2010.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death was not due to a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Appellant's current right ankle and left great toe disabilities are not causally related to injuries sustained during his National Guard service.

The Veteran's right ankle degenerative changes were granted service connection effective August 26, 1992.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left ankle disability during service or within one year post-service, and concluded that the current left ankle condition is not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, left ankle arthritis, and TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities has been granted. The erectile dysfunction is found to be secondary to his diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer. His kidney dysfunction and prostate cancer residuals are rated at their maximum levels of 60% and 40%, respectively.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including osteoarthritis of the right ankle, old avulsion fracture of the left ankle, bilateral status post total knee replacement, low back condition, and sciatic nerve condition, did not begin in service or until many years after service and cannot be linked to any established in-service injury, disease, or event. Therefore, these claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the service-connected left ankle fracture, effective from the date of examination. The Veteran's right knee and right hip disorders are not found to be secondary to his service-connected left ankle fracture.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining treatment records and a VA fibromyalgia examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle disability is not etiologically related to service and is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle sprain with limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and ankle disorders have been denied. The claim for service connection for the lumbar spine disorder has not been adjudicated as it is not part of this decision.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left ankle disability and granted it, finding that new evidence supports the claim and that the current left ankle disorder is related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are necessary prior to the adjudication of these claims.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected right and left ankle degenerative joint disease on an extra-schedular basis, citing that the correct facts were before them and no errors in applying regulations or laws existed.

The Veteran's left gastrocnemius strain is rated at 10 percent, his residuals of a healed fracture of the left medial malleolus are rated at 20 percent, and his lumbosacral strain is rated at 20 percent. The TDIU issue has been added to the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection in part, including for tension headaches and bilateral hearing loss. The issues of service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, prostate condition, ankle/knee conditions, left side pain, and shoulder conditions were also addressed but not granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, hypertension (secondary to PTSD), initial rating for PTSD, and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease resulting in current disabilities.

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