Ankle Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of chronic disabilities of the right knee, low back, right wrist, or right ankle that were incurred in service or related to a service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the foot and ankle associated with residuals of fracture of proximal shaft of right femur with shortening of the right lower extremity is granted, with the effective date set at July 13, 1994.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his left ankle disability and consideration of additional evidence.

The Veteran's unauthorized emergency room visit at the University of Wisconsin Hospital was denied as he did not meet the criteria for reimbursement under VA regulations, despite his claim that he intended to seek treatment at a VA facility.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a travel board hearing as soon as it may be feasible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hip or ankle disability related to service-connected knee disability and/or service. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hip and ankle disabilities is denied.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition and a left elbow condition. Additional VA examinations are required to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee, thigh laceration with superficial scar, and ankle sprain disabilities have been denied. The RO found that the current disability ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have residuals of a right leg injury other than a scar, and his arthritis of the right knee was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board also found no evidence to support a claim for any right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining workers' compensation records and scheduling VA examinations to address the relationship between his current knee and ankle disorders and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to schedule a travel hearing. The Veteran's right ankle disability claim remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, right ankle, and right hip disabilities were denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right ankle tendinopathy, residuals of Achilles' tendon rupture.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right ankle sprains incurred in service are service-connected, but his right knee and low back disorders are not related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was found to have been aggravated by his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left foot drop with hyperreflexia and ankle clonus, shell fragment wounds of the left thigh, bilateral tinnitus, shell fragment wounds of the left anterior chest, shell fragment wound of the right elbow, and right ear hearing loss, prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and right ankle condition were not found to be directly related to his military service, and the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a higher disability rating for his service-connected left ankle injury is being remanded due to inadequate medical records and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 70%, which meets the minimum schedular criteria for TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable as he can perform sedentary employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee and left ankle disorders are not related to his military service or any service-connected disability, including his cervical spine with associated iliac crest donor graft sites at both hips. Therefore, these claims for service connection have been denied.