Ankle Board decisions

The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for post-traumatic arthritis of the right ankle, based on limitation of motion with pain.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence and a need for further examination to determine if any current left or right ankle conditions are related to service.

The veteran's right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, and left knee sprain have been granted service connection with initial 10 percent ratings effective June 20, 2004.,Service connection for adductor tendonitis of the left hip and allergic rhinitis and sinusitis has also been granted but without any compensable rating assigned.,The veteran's left knee sprain remains unassigned a compensable rating.

The veteran's right ankle injury on June 15, 2001 was not an emergency requiring immediate medical attention. The VA determined that the private hospital treatment was not necessary due to the availability of VA facilities and the veteran's total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder due to new evidence. The claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee and right ankle pain have been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's initial compensable ratings for residuals of a laceration to the right side of his jaw and fractured right ankle are granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle and right knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected left ankle chip fracture with degenerative joint disease (DJD) does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for sickle cell anemia was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision. The issues of entitlement to higher initial evaluations for left knee chondromalacia and residuals of a left ankle sprain with arthritis are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a skin rash of the left ankle and lumbosacral strain are being remanded due to inadequate notice regarding the definition of 'new and material evidence' as it relates to these claims.

The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus, hearing loss, and residuals, right ankle fracture. The case has been remanded to allow additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed disabilities (knee, ankle, shoulder, hand, or back) incurred in service and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, chronic right hip disorder, chronic left hip disorder, chronic right ankle disorder, and chronic left ankle disorder. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied claims for service connection for gastrointestinal, low back, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities secondary to the veteran's service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for a new medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's left knee disability is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle disability and spinal disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left ankle disability, and left knee disability. The veteran was not granted any additional ratings.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for residuals of a left ankle fracture. The Board also finds in favor of granting service connection for this condition, as it is considered incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, heart disease and hypertension, and multiple joint disabilities including a bilateral knee disability, rheumatoid arthritis of multiple joints, osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, and a right ankle disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper VCAA notice.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus disability is associated with degenerative arthritis of the hips, knees, ankles, and lumbosacral spine. However, the examiner determined that the bilateral pes planus did not cause the arthritis.