Ankle decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for mental disorders, mood disorders, and manic depressive disorder as well as limitation of motion ankle, left due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities.

The claims for service connection for a left ankle disability, back pain, hyperacusis, and sinusitis were remanded for further development. The rating reduction from 30 percent to 0 percent for migraines was found improper, and the 30 percent rating was restored.

The appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and disabilities of both knees and ankles were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a dental disability to include missing teeth, and a recurrent gum disability. The claims for Type II diabetes mellitus, recurrent fatigue, lumbosacral spine, left lower extremity, ankle neurological, foot, joint, and bone disabilities were remanded.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for degenerative disc disease (DDD) prior to April 18, 2024, but the claims for increased ratings for DDD from that date and for right ankle disability were denied.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to a regulatory duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for right knee pain, left ankle pain, and right ankle pain but denied service connection for skin facial, respiratory complaints, hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure), lower back pain, an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include adjustment disorder with anxiety; and alcohol dependence, uncomplicated.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU due to a right ankle disability, as there has not been substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to outstanding records of private treatment and a lack of VA medical opinions.

The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's current right ankle disorder and his in-service injury.

The appeal for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, including diabetes, erectile dysfunction, bilateral shoulder disability, hemorrhoids, and knee and ankle disabilities, was dismissed.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine (back) disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability and a compensable initial evaluation for a right ear hearing loss disability. The claims for service connection for a left ankle disability, left knee disability, GERD, and erectile dysfunction were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to a failure to provide VA examinations after rescheduling attempts.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee, right knee, left ankle, and low back conditions as secondary to a service-connected disability due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, earlier effective dates for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, TBI, chronic migraines, lower back pain, as well as increased ratings for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, TBI, and lower back pain.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right ankle disability, finding that there was no evidence to support that VA treatment caused additional disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an effective date prior to March 30, 2018, for the award of service connection for tinnitus, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The Board also denied a compensable rating prior September 13, 2023, and a rating in excess of 10 percent on and after September 13, 2023, for maxillary sinusitis.

The Board denied service connection for depression, peptic ulcer, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, bilateral ankle condition, bilateral elbow condition, foot condition, bilateral hip condition, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral wrist condition as the persuasive weight of the evidence indicated these conditions were not etiologically related to active service.

The Board granted readjudication of several claims for service connection and increased ratings, while remanding others. The decision also denied an increased rating for a left knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, a higher initial rating for his mental health condition, and increased ratings for his right ankle, back, and nerve conditions.