Ankle Board decisions

The Board determined that the Veteran's pre-existing right ankle injury was aggravated during service, resulting in traumatic arthritis of the right ankle. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining whether his injuries were due to willful misconduct.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his service-connected residuals of a hernia do not warrant an increased rating or earlier effective date. The Board found that the current evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, indicating satisfaction with the current ratings for his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating for his left ankle disability as of September 8, 2006 (the date of receipt of the increased-rating claim). This higher rating is effective February 8, 2010.,The Veteran's hearing loss in his left ear is rated at zero percent and does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues and will schedule a Travel Board hearing for the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for psoriasis of the bilateral wrist and ankles, and residuals of a rib fracture to include chest pain were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or nexus to service.

The Board found no evidence to support a service connection for the Veteran's bilateral ankle disorder, concluding that any current condition is not related to his active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a left ankle disability, as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to this condition. The preponderance of the evidence supports the conclusion that any current left ankle arthritis degenerative joint disease is less likely than not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current umbilical hernia is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection, but did not make a final determination on whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, or low back disorder for VA compensation purposes. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claims for arthritis, a chronic disability associated with herbicide exposure, and a left leg disability were denied as there is no evidence of such conditions during service or within the applicable presumptive period. The Board found that the Veteran did not engage in combat and thus 38 U.S.C.A. § 1154(b) does not apply.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed bilateral knee disorder, right ankle/foot disorder, and blood disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle condition, but finds no credible evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is found to be service-connected. The right wrist, forearm, and knee disabilities are not addressed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal for these issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left fifth toe fracture, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, and left ankle strain as secondary to her service-connected right ankle disability. The evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to locate the appellant's service treatment records and obtain relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU have been denied as the necessary examinations were not conducted due to the Veteran's failure to report.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen her claims for service connection for left shoulder and right ankle disabilities, finding no new and material evidence. The VA treatment records provided since July 2002 do not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.