Ankle Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, a perforated ear drum, residuals of a right ankle fracture, hepatitis, and other injuries. The RO affirmed these determinations.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture with traumatic arthritis, effective from when the disability was first rated in July 1988.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a well-grounded claim for service connection for hearing loss, protein in urine, elevated cholesterol, right knee disability, or bilateral ankle disorder. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability secondary to the appellant's service-connected right ankle disability and has granted an increased evaluation of 10% for his right ankle disability.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for a right ankle fracture, as there was no in-service injury and current disability is not linked to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right ankle disability is granted. The claim for compensation under the provisions of Title 38, United States Code, Section 1151 for a right knee disorder resulting from a July 1993 hospitalization at a VA Medical Center is found to be well-grounded and remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle injury and pes planus, but granted service connection for right ankle sprains. The veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased evaluation for his right ankle sprains prior to January 13, 1999 was also denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability on a secondary basis, and his claims for increased ratings for residuals of a stress reaction of the left ankle and for a compensable evaluation for status post fracture of the left great toe.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a right ankle disorder with heel pain as her claim was not well grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded, meaning there was insufficient evidence to support them.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted for either claim, but as both issues are related to direct service connection, the decision is mixed - some aspects may be granted while others remain denied.

The Board found that the veteran's current left ankle complaints are not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for residuals of left ankle sprains is granted, as all reasonable doubt is resolved in favor of the veteran.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the feet and residuals of tenosynovitis of the right ankle/Achilles tendon. The claim for residuals of frostbite of the feet was well grounded, while the claim for residuals of tenosynovitis of the right ankle/Achilles tendon was not well grounded.

The Board found no evidence of chronic left knee or ankle disabilities prior to service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis and right ankle disability are not well-grounded. The evidence does not establish a current diagnosis of these conditions, nor is there sufficient medical evidence to link them to his military service or any other relevant factor.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidence and issues related to secondary service connection for right knee and heel disabilities. The veteran's claims are being reviewed with a focus on obtaining necessary medical records, conducting examinations, and adjudicating the secondary service connection claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are well-grounded and have granted service connection for bilateral stress fractures of the ankles, with a specific focus on the right medial tibial plateau. The knee disability, numbness of the toes, and tendonitis of the left foot (claimed as fallen arches) were not found to be related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's posterior tibial nerve palsy with right ankle fusion is currently rated at 40 percent, which is the highest level of disability for ankylosis of the ankle. The appeal is denied as there is no evidence to support a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected right ankle fracture residuals and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis were denied as the veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination.