Ankle Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a personal hearing and determining whether there was CUE in previous rating decisions.

The veteran's PTSD was found to be associated with her military service. The fractures and ankle disability were not linked to the veteran's time in service. No pelvic pain or skin condition was found to have a connection to active duty.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for low back and right ankle disorders due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board has reopened the claims for residuals of a right wrist injury and a right ankle disorder, but denied them on the merits.,The claim for cholecystectomy (claimed as residuals of removal of the gall bladder) was not reopened.

The veteran's service-connected right and left ankle sprains are currently manifested by subjective complaints of pain, but no functional impairment on use. The VA pre-discharge examination did not find any limitation of motion or instability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities, as well as his request for an increased rating for right knee replacement. The appeals were not granted.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder, and evaluations for degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 and a left ankle strain with instability and limitation of motion. The appeal is pending before the Board.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for VA examinations to assess the current severity of his cervical spine and right ankle disabilities.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for PTSD, arthritis of the right hand, hypertension, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, or left ankle disability.,An additional VA examination may be necessary to address the etiology of the veteran's hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including a VA examination and consideration of service connection claims.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected hemangioma of the left ankle is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed knee and ankle disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board denied the claim for a higher initial evaluation for right ankle instability with post-traumatic arthritis, as it was determined that there was no evidence of malunion or nonunion of the tibia or fibula in the July 1994 x-rays.

The Board granted the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation of 10 percent for a chronic left ankle sprain and denied his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed left ankle disability and residuals of surgical treatment to correct epistaxis are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found no evidence of arthritis or musculoskeletal disorders during service, and the VA examiner's opinions did not support a link between current conditions and service. The veteran's complaints are attributed to aging rather than service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis, left ankle, with tendon tearing. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted while others are not.

The Board found that the veteran did not have an employment handicap and thus, basic entitlement to vocational rehabilitation training was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for lumbosacral strain, tinnitus, and residuals of toe fractures. The claims for higher initial ratings for knee disabilities (left knee status-post meniscectomy with chondromalacia of the patella, right knee strain with chondromalacia of the patella) and ankle sprains were also denied. The claim for a compensable initial evaluation for hypertension was not addressed as it is not related to service connection.

The Board granted a compensable rating of 20 percent for the service-connected chip fracture of the left ankle and found that the veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for tinea pedis. The claim for service connection for frostbite of the feet was also granted.