Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of service dates and obtaining clinical records. A VA examination is also required to determine if any current right knee, right ankle, right shoulder, or back disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depression and multiple knee and back issues, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to develop and adjudicate his claims for service connection for various conditions, including headaches, neck pain, hypertension, multiple joint pain, diverticulitis, impotence, and arterial calcification in the left ankle region, secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the right ankle is currently rated at 30 percent, and his left ankle disability is also rated at 30 percent. Both conditions are considered to be directly related to service without any presumption or secondary connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran has a diagnosed bilateral ankle disability and whether his symptoms are related to service or an undiagnosed illness. The claim will be adjudicated again based on the results of this development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to insufficient examination reports and the need to obtain updated VA treatment records. The examiner is requested to provide opinions on whether any diagnosed conditions at least as likely as not began in or are related to her active service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, effective June 20, 2007. The appeal regarding increased ratings and separate evaluations is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The claims will be reconsidered based on new information.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a right ankle disorder, which he claims was aggravated by his active military service from December 2004 to June 2006. The Board has determined that additional development of the evidence is required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and his tinnitus is not related to service. The claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, plantar fasciitis, left ankle condition, left wrist condition, morphea scleroderma, sinus condition, and eye condition are denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for post fracture capsulitis of the left ankle was denied as his left ankle disorder most nearly approximated limitation of motion that is no more than moderate, without evidence of ankylosis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, are not of such severity as to preclude him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran seeks an increased rating for his service-connected right ankle/foot disability, currently rated as 30 percent disabling. The case is being remanded to determine if the current rating adequately reflects the severity of the disability and whether separate ratings are warranted for any neurological component.

The Veteran's claim for various service connection issues was remanded, and the RO is now denying his claims for increased ratings. The evidence does not support a compensable rating for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and ankle sprain residuals have been denied as there is no competent evidence of current disabilities related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the request of his authorized representative.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The claims of service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, right ankle disability, and left knee disability are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck and ankle disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the medical evidence does not support a connection to service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, rated as 10 percent disabling prior to January 1, 2005 and as 30 percent thereafter, has been granted an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic right ankle disability associated with his in-service sprain, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.