Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right leg disability due to disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The claim for service connection for residuals of a left eye injury, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder is granted as these conditions are presumed based on their chronic nature.

The Veteran's bilateral eye disability, including residuals of cataract surgeries and detached left retina, right shoulder disorder, right hip disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder are all found to be related to his active service. The claims for sinus disorder and hemorrhoids are not addressed as they were not part of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist pain/carpal tunnel syndrome, right knee strain/pain, left knee strain/pain, right ankle strain/pain, and left ankle strain/pain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including a VA examination to determine if his bilateral shoulder and ankle disabilities are related to his military service, specifically exposure to cold.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for right ankle scars, effective October 8, 2008. The claim for a compensable rating for tinea pedis of the left foot is still pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including a VA examination and compliance with previous Board orders. The issue of entitlement to TDIU will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable as his combined disability rating is 70 percent, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. The claim has been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ankle disability and assigned an initial evaluation. The claims for increased evaluations of his right elbow, right knee, and left knee disabilities are pending.

The Veteran claims service connection for renal failure, which he contends is related to his in-service traumatic brain injury. The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's kidney condition and whether it is aggravated by his service-connected organic personality syndrome.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, characterized by limited motion and arthritis, does not warrant a higher evaluation as the current 20 percent rating already reflects significant functional impairment.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to his active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a pulmonary disability (including obstructive sleep apnea) and bilateral hearing loss. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not have diabetes mellitus or hypertension attributable to military service.

The Board found no chronic right knee, right ankle, or left shoulder disorders in service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar disk disease, traumatic arthritis of the left ankle, and complete bony ankylosis of the great left toe, are found to be so severe that they prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board grants his claim for TDIU.

The Board denied all of the Veteran's claims, including service connection for back, knee, and ankle disorders as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for his bilateral hearing loss. The decision found that none of these conditions were related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues with notification and additional evidence is needed, including a VA examination.

The Board denied a higher initial rating for the veteran's service-connected reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the right foot with a history of ankle sprain and microfracture at the talonavicular junction, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent prior to February 8, 2008, or higher than 30 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected left ankle sprain, left shoulder strain, cervical strain, and lumbar strain do not warrant a rating in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent ratings.