Ankle Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his service-connected left ear hearing loss, psoriasis, and other disabilities. The veteran was not granted service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded and denied them. The March 1996 rating decision assigning a 10% disability rating for bilateral pes planus was not clearly erroneous.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected left ankle disability was denied because he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his left ankle sprain, left foot bunion, and right acromioclavicular separation.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral ankle disability, but found that the claims for service connection for bilateral leg and knee disabilities are not well grounded.

The Board found no current residual disabilities from the inservice injuries and denied service connection for the veteran's claimed right great toe, right ankle arthritis, and left ankle disability.

The Board has granted an increased disability rating of 10 percent for the adherent scar of the right leg, effective as of the date of the decision. Additionally, service connection was granted for a low back disorder, a right knee disorder and a right ankle disability on a secondary basis.

The veteran's appeal is about the service connection for generalized arthritis of his left ankle, knees, spine, and hands. The rating for residuals of a fracture of the right ankle remains unchanged.

The Board found the claim not well grounded and denied service connection for a left ankle disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for higher ratings for her lower back disorder and left ankle disorder are not supported by the evidence of record, and therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran is not entitled to a temporary total rating for his right ankle disability beyond February 4, 1998 and denied entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent disabling for post-operative residuals of right ankle fusion.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability (other than left TOS) and the propriety of initial noncompensable rating for postoperative residuals of a right knee laceration, but granted an increased 20 percent rating for left thoracic outlet syndrome.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for residuals of right inguinal hernia repair, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, back injury, and head injury. The claim for service connection for bilateral knee disorder was reopened due to new evidence submitted by the appellant.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability is claimed to have caused his fractures of the right tibia and left ankle in February 1983. The new evidence supports this claim, but does not establish that these conditions are directly related to the service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed disabilities, including a bilateral ankle disability, head injury, right arm condition, headaches, and bilateral knee condition. The claims were not well-grounded due to lack of current diagnosis.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service-connected compensation for residuals of a right ankle injury was denied as there is no legal basis to grant such a request.

The Board finds that there is not a reasonable possibility of valid claims concerning the veteran's claimed disabilities, including hypothyroidism, hemorrhoids, bilateral eye disability, bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities, asthma, low back disability, hypoglycemia, bilateral hand and ankle disabilities, gastrointestinal disability, acquired cognitive disorder, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and residuals of Epstein-Barr virus infection. These conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Board has restored the veteran's rating for his service-connected right ankle fracture from 20 percent to 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot and ankle disabilities are denied. The evidence does not support a finding of direct or secondary service connection.