Ankle decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a fractured right ankle, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and a compensable evaluation for tinea pedis. The claims for service connection for a bilateral ear disability, right ankle disability, and right tibia/fibula disability were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis and remanded the claims for a right hip disability, left hip disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, bilateral flatfoot with foot pain, and signs or symptoms involving the respiratory system.

The Board granted service connection for low back degenerative disc disease (DDD) with spondylosis, a post-surgical low back scar, and sciatic radiculopathy of both lower extremities. It also granted an increased rating of 30 percent for cervical spine disc protrusions.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service and continued. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The appeal for an effective date prior to August 10, 2021, for the award of service connection for tinnitus is dismissed. The claims for service connection for jungle rot disability and bilateral ankle disabilities are denied.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral shin splints, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral dry eye syndrome was granted a 20 percent evaluation, while the claims for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals, right ankle fracture and for headaches were denied. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for herpes simplex myelitis zoster was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a relationship to service.

The Board denied service connection for a neurological disorder, left lower extremity, and other conditions, granted an initial evaluation not to exceed 10 percent for post-arthroscopic residuals, right hip, limitation of extension, and granted an initial evaluation not to exceed 10 percent for associated neurological symptomatology, right lower extremity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability, finding that the current 10 percent rating adequately compensates the Veteran for his symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder, right knee, lung, and other specified trauma and stressor related disorder (psychiatric disability) claims while granting service connection for the psychiatric disability. The Board also denied increased ratings for various conditions including right ankle arthralgia, tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, and hypertension.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but dismissed the claims for left and right ankle disabilities as moot, given that these conditions were previously granted service connection in December 2024 and January 2025 decisions.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability but denied service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities.

The Board dismissed the issues of entitlement to service connection for pressure triggered paresthesia, bilateral foot onychomycosis, degenerative joint disease with grade 1 spondylolisthesis L5 on S1, and residual injury of the right ankle due to a procedural defect in the filing of the appeal. The issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was remanded.

The appeal concerning the issues of entitlement to service connection for left and right ankle conditions, as well as increased ratings for erectile dysfunction, restless leg syndrome of the right and left lower extremities, migraine headaches, and somatic symptom disorder is dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for bilateral foot condition, left ankle pain, left hip condition as secondary to bilateral foot condition, and low back condition as secondary to bilateral foot condition.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for nephrolithiasis and denied or remanded the other issues.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder was granted a rating of 100 percent as of May 10, 2022, but no earlier. The effective date for the evaluation of the left and right ankle disabilities were granted prior to January 6, 2022.