Ankle Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for arthritis of the right ankle and arthritis of the hips, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.,The decision concluded that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran currently suffers from either condition.

The Board denied service connection for left foot and ankle disorders, as well as kidney disorder. The Veteran's left foot fracture was found to be incurred in service, but his left ankle disorder and kidney disorder were not shown to have been caused by any in-service event.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim for bilateral foot and ankle pain with DJD, but granted a higher rating for his low back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased the rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability to 40 percent. The claim for increased ratings for his wrist disability was denied.

The Veteran's left knee, cervical spine, right shoulder, right hip and left ankle disorders are found to be secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. Effective February 8, 2006, a 10% evaluation is assigned for the right knee.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back pain, but further development is needed to determine if a right ankle or foot disorder is also service-connected.,VA will obtain any additional VA medical records and provide an addendum to the July 2011 VA examination report.

The Veteran's left ankle disability was initially rated at 10 percent prior to March 15, 2010. From that date onward, the disability has been rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left ear hearing loss, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder. The decision also denied higher initial disability ratings for his service-connected right shoulder disability, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left ankle disability did not have onset during active service and is not otherwise etiologically related to his active service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and a clarification of the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected arthritis and his death from pulmonary fibrosis.

The Board finds that the Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses at Mitchell County Hospital in October 2009 meet the criteria for reimbursement due to a service-connected disability, an emergency medical condition, and non-feasibility of VA facilities.

The Board found that the appellant's current right ankle disability, including residuals of a right fibula fracture and arthritis, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain with degenerative joint disease has only been shown to have moderate range of motion, without marked limitation. Ankylosis or other severe conditions were not demonstrated.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, but the residuals of his left ankle injury remain in dispute. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain clarification on whether he has any current foot or ankle disability related to his service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right foot/ankle fracture and a disability of the lumbar spine, both secondary to service-connected bronchial asthma. The Veteran's current rating for his service-connected bronchial asthma is 30 percent.

The Veteran's diagnosed bilateral shoulder, right knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities have not been shown to be related to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to determine if he has hypertension secondary to his service-connected disorders. The RO/AMC will also ensure that an SOC is issued on the issue of left knee laxity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.