Ankle Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a compression fracture of the thoracic spine, residuals of left ankle stab wound, and chronic ear aches are not well-grounded because there is no medical evidence supporting these claims.

The veteran's flatfeet were aggravated by active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The other claims are denied as not well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative changes of the lumbar spine are service-connected, and he also has current disabilities in his hips, knees, and ankles. However, there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for chronic knee or ankle disorders.

The Board has determined that there is a medical nexus between the veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine and his service, making the claim well grounded. The VA will continue to seek additional records from the Navy medical facility in North Charleston.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were denied as the evidence did not demonstrate an increase in disability that would warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for an increase in a 20 percent rating for his right ankle disability is denied.

The veteran's brain tumor in postoperative status is service-connected, and his tinea pedis was also incurred during active service. The other claims for service connection are not well-grounded.

The Board has found that the veteran's lumbosacral spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected left ankle fracture, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The claim for an increased rating for the left ankle fracture remains pending as a higher rating is not granted.

The Board found that the veteran's claim was well-grounded and granted service connection for residuals of a right ankle fracture, attributing it to an in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a left ankle disorder are not well-grounded, as there is no medical evidence establishing a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence to show that the veteran's right ankle disability worsened as a result of treatment or surgery at a VA facility, and thus denied his claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for various disorders are not well grounded, as there is no medical evidence showing current diagnoses or a link to service.

The VA determined that the appellant's claims for service connection were not well-grounded due to lack of evidence showing a pre-existing condition aggravated by military service.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected left ankle disorder, finding that the current evaluation of 20 percent adequately reflects his symptoms and functional limitations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, gastroenteritis, right ankle disorder, and vaginitis are well-grounded. The claim for tuberculosis is not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ankle disorder warrants a 20 percent disability evaluation on and after December 2, 1997. The effective date remains pending as it is not specified in this decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that they were not well-grounded and thus not supported by competent evidence showing a relationship to service.

The Board found that the veteran did not submit competent evidence to show plausible claims for service connection for a right elbow disability, a right shoulder disability, a right ankle disability, a low back disability, and a psychiatric disorder.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence submitted. However, it was determined that these multiple orthopedic disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been granted, with the exception of residuals of fractures of the transverse processes of L2 and L3 which are rated at 20 percent.