Ankle Board decisions

The Board dismissed the appeal because an adequate substantive appeal was not filed.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle disability and finds that new evidence submitted by the veteran is sufficient to reopen his claim. The Board also concludes that the preponderance of the evidence does not support the claim, as there is no medical evidence linking the current left ankle disability to an in-service injury.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's lumbar strain, chondromalacia patellae (bilateral), residuals of right ankle sprain, and flat feet. The RO assigned a 10 percent evaluation to each condition effective from July 1996.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder due to lack of competent medical evidence showing current presence of such condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for ringing in the ears and residuals of a left ankle fracture with arthritis as secondary to his service-connected irritable bowel syndrome with colo-spasm are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his service-connected condition.

The veteran's skin disorder of the feet and left ankle is productive of constant itching, exudation, and extensive skin lesions. The Board has granted a 30 percent disability rating for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including otitis media, multiple arthralgias, a left elbow disability, peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis, and residuals of a facial laceration. The evidence did not support these claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches with history of concussion are granted. The claim for chronic swelling of the ankles is denied.

The Board has found that the veteran's claims for service connection are well-grounded and have granted them. The veteran is entitled to service connection for acne vulgaris, a right knee disorder, a left ankle disorder, tinnitus, and periodontal disease (for treatment purposes).

The Board has decided the issue of service connection for a disability manifested by leg pain. The claim is not well grounded and thus denied. The issue of an increased evaluation for hypertension, initially granted at 10 percent, is remanded due to new evidence and possible changes in medication.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a right ankle disorder, left foot disorder, and neck mass due to lack of well-grounded evidence.

The Board denied claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, hands, and ankles, as well as a claim for an increased rating for rheumatoid arthritis of the right little finger. The veteran's arthritis is found to be due to his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and compensable evaluations for his left knee, second metacarpal, thumb, and ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The veteran was also not granted a compensable evaluation for his left ankle disability.

The veteran's combined disability evaluation for his service-connected disabilities was granted at 60 percent prior to January 27, 1999. The Board found that the correct combined evaluation at the time in question was 60 percent and denied a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran is eligible for payment of attorney fees from past-due benefits resulting from the grant of increased compensation for shell fragment wounds of the right thigh, right ankle, and left thigh. The effective date is February 17, 2000.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for increased rate of dependency and indemnity compensation based upon a demonstrated need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to lack of evidence showing she requires regular aid and attendance or is permanently housebound.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left ankle disorders are well grounded. The issues of rating greater than 10 percent disabling for herniated disc at L5-S1 and residuals of a right knee injury have been granted.

The veteran's current arthritis of the hips, knees, right ankle, elbows and shoulders is due to service-connected shrapnel wounds. The claim for service connection has been granted.

The veteran's service-connected acute compartment syndrome of the right leg with ankle disability is manifested by profound weakness with foot drop, inability to dorsiflex the right foot and markedly reduced plantar flexion. There are indications of numbness in the distribution of the right peroneal nerve all the way to the toes. The Board finds that these symptoms more nearly approximate a 40 percent rating for complete paralysis under Diagnostic Code 8521.