Ankle Board decisions

The Board found that there is no evidence of a right ankle injury during service and the Veteran's current right ankle disability was not incurred or aggravated by active duty. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service, including specifically to noise exposure in service. The claim for bilateral ankle pain was remanded by the Board.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left ankle disorder has been fully resolved in his favor, and the Board does not have appellate jurisdiction over this issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not currently have a disability that meets the VA definition of hearing loss. The claims for hip, low back, left knee, and left ankle disabilities are remanded to obtain treatment records from Hohenfels, Germany, and to provide an opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disorders, including peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal issues. The Board has determined that further development is necessary to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and right ankle disorder were denied as they did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and providing him with appropriate VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability was rated at 10 percent prior to December 11, 2009. The Board found that the condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on marked limitation of motion or other factors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, and left leg disability. The evidence did not establish direct service incurrence or aggravation.

The Veteran's left lower extremity disability, including his left foot and left ankle/Achilles tendon disability, was rated at 10 percent prior to October 4, 2010. From that date, the rating was increased to 20 percent. The scar of the right infra-scapular area was also rated at 10 percent prior to October 4, 2010.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current right ankle disorder, including whether it is related to service. The Veteran's claim for service connection will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disorder is being remanded due to the need for clarification of his claims, additional VA examination, and retrieval of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his employability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's right wrist, left ankle, right ankle, bilateral pes cavus, and Reynaud's syndrome claims. The examination should include obtaining X-rays of the joints in question for the right wrist, left ankle, and right ankle, as well as weight-bearing X-rays for the feet.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent since May 16, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records, as well as the issuance of a statement of the case on several service connection claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability is related to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee, and thus remands for further development.

The Board found no evidence of a left hip or left ankle disability during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the right and left ankles have been denied. The RO found that the service-connected right ankle disability caused a left ankle condition, but did not grant an initial rating in excess of 30 percent or 20 percent respectively.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's diagnosed left and right ankle, knee, and shoulder disorders, finding that they are related to his in-service injury.