Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional substantive development is necessary prior to further appellate review of the claims for service connection for low back and cervical spine (originally claimed as a neck disorder), Achilles tendonitis of both ankles, and sinusitis.

The Board has scheduled a Travel Board hearing for the Veteran to address her claims of service connection for various conditions. The appeal is currently in remand status due to scheduling issues.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was granted service connection as the evidence is in equipoise, with the benefit of doubt given to the Veteran. The Board also found that his current ankle pain is not related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the left knee and right ankle, migraine headaches, and nerve damage to the left eye. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his active service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is manifested by a 10-degree loss of dorsiflexion and plantar flexion, warranting a 10 percent evaluation. The Board has granted an increased rating to 10 percent for the service-connected right ankle sprain from June 1, 2007. There is no evidence linking the Veteran's low back disability to his service-connected right ankle disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives and the need for an updated VA examination.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, including a fracture and pes planus, is currently rated at 10 percent. The most recent VA examination found no objective evidence of a left ankle disability with normal x-rays and no limitation of motion.

The Board found no credible evidence of current bilateral wrist, ankle, or spine disabilities and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not worsened to the point that he is unable to perform the duties of his Master's Degree in Business Administration, and the occupation has not been found unsuitable due to his abilities and employment handicap. The Veteran has failed to cooperate with employment placement efforts.

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

The Veteran's left ankle disability is manifested by marked limitation of motion and tender/painful scars, warranting a 20 percent rating for the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected scars have been rated, and the Board finds that none of them meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The effective date remains unchanged at June 13, 2005.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss of use of one or both feet, nor ankylosis of one or both knees or hips. The appeal is REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's current arthritis of the left ankle, left knee and left shoulder is unrelated to service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of right ankle sprains are not granted.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further development and examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right ankle disability and allergic conjunctivitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for his right ankle disability, as there was no objective evidence of lost dorsiflexion or plantar flexion. For allergic conjunctivitis, the Veteran's claim was also denied as there was no frequent periods of hospitalization or marked interference with employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed right hip, right knee, and left ankle disorders were not incurred or aggravated by his service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development and consideration of his claims, including sending a new Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) to the correct address.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left ankle disability is related to service or aggravates her right ankle and low back disabilities.