Ankle Board decisions

The Veteran's left ankle injury with traumatic arthritis is currently rated at 10% and cervical disc disease before surgery was rated at 20%, but after surgery the rating has been increased to 30%. The appeal is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and secondary service connection claims were denied. The Board found that the right great toe hallux rigidus did not meet criteria for a rating higher than 30 percent, as there was no evidence of claw foot or hammer toes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's previous denials of service connection for cervical spine, thoracic spine at T5-6, and left ankle injuries are final. The additional evidence presented since those decisions does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling medical examinations to address the nature and etiology of any current back and/or headache disorders.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip and ankle pain is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's DM with retinopathy, cataracts, and proteinuria is currently rated at 10% disabling. The Board denied an increased rating for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right ankle strain is related to his service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ankle arthritis has been reopened, but the Board is unable to grant it at this time due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an ovarian cyst, a right foot disorder (claimed as fracture), a right shoulder disorder, recurrent otitis media, and a right ankle disorder (claimed as sprain).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including head injury, neck injury, knee disorder, ankle disorder, post-vertebrae condition (likely a spinal issue), and eye injury. The decision was based on the lack of evidence supporting these conditions or their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected fractured left tibia is being remanded due to the need for further development, including another VA examination to assess the extent of any additional impairment in his left knee and ankle associated with the fracture.

The Board found no evidence of a right ankle injury during service and concluded that any current disability is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board found no current disability for the claimed right hip, right ankle, and left ankle disorders and thus denied all three claims.

The Veteran seeks service connection for right ankle arthritis as secondary to his service-connected right and left knee disabilities. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of any diagnosed ankle disorder, specifically arthritis.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinea pedis, and plantar fasciitis. The initial compensable evaluations for recurrent lipomas, multiple lipoma excision scars on the left flank and right elbow, and a left flank scar have also been denied. The Board has not addressed the claims for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right elbow, right ankle, right shoulder, lower jaw, right foot sural neuropathy, or left foot sural neuropathy as they are considered part of the initial grant of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability and denied entitlement to a compensable initial rating for postoperative residuals, nose fracture with sinusitis due to lack of evidence showing the disabilities were incurred in or related to service.

Throughout the appeal period, the Veteran's PTSD has been reflective of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and consideration of his right and left ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.