Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disorders are granted, with the exception of his claim for a right ankle disorder which is secondary to service-connected peripheral neuropathy. The decision also includes reopening and granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Board found that the July 1985 rating decision denying service connection for a right knee disability was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, as there was no chronic right knee disability at the time of the VA examination.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ankle and bilateral knee disabilities are related to his service-connected right distal fibula fracture, with increased weight bearing causing additional stress on these joints.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury in October 2009 and the Veteran did not appeal. The claim is now being reopened, but new evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings for his service-connected ankle and wrist disabilities, as well as for earlier effective dates. The claims were not supported by the evidence of record at the time of the February 1970 rating decision.

The Board has jurisdiction over the timely and adequately appealed issues regarding service connection for various conditions, including PTSD. The Veteran's appeal as to a respiratory disability is dismissed due to lack of justiciable case or controversy.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of service connection for a back disability, left ankle disability, bilateral arm disabilities, and stomach disorder.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, including degenerative joint disease and Achilles tendonitis, has been evaluated at the 20% level since June 5, 2008. The current examination does not show any additional disabling effects warranting a higher rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back muscle strain, reopening his previously denied claim. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service connection claims, including the verification of his periods of active duty and inactive duty training, and for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various knee and hip disabilities, as well as a psychiatric disability. The decision was based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected atypical psychosis qualifies for VA reimbursement of medical expenses incurred for his right ankle injury, as the treatment was necessary due to a serious condition and no feasible alternative care was available.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, which resulted from a fracture, is now rated at 20 percent effective July 20, 2010.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle degenerative joint disease and chronic psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and schizophrenia. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss, schizophrenia, and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and residuals of a left ankle injury. The Veteran will be provided with another opportunity to provide information and evidence pertinent to his claims, and all necessary records will be obtained.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left ankle sprain was denied, and the December 1994 denial of service connection for a low back disorder became final. The Board found that new evidence received since the December 1994 decision raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim to reopen service connection for a low back disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions and finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a more current VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's recurrent right ankle sprain was incurred in service and the Board grants service connection for this disability.