Ankle decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle due to an inadequate VA examination and the need for additional medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis, pes planus, and degenerative arthritis; right foot plantar fasciitis, pes planus, and degenerative arthritis; a lumbosacral strain; left ankle strain; and right ankle strain.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, sleep apnea, hearing loss, and low back disability, among others. The Veteran's tinnitus was rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service-connected conditions based on CUE in a December 1983 deferred rating decision.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including erectile dysfunction and spine conditions, to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's right ankle condition and irritable bowel syndrome, but granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral shin splints, finding no evidence of continuous symptoms since service and a lack of credible evidence to support continuity of symptomatology. The right ankle sprain issue was remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher rating for his right ankle disability.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis and remanded the claims for service connection for a back, right ankle, and right shoulder disorder.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a left ankle disability due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle condition, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the in-service injury and the current disability.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral ankle disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as she failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The appeal was granted for an earlier effective date of June 9, 2021, for the award of TDIU and DEA based on permanent and total disability status.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to allow VA to obtain additional evidence, including private treatment records and line of duty determinations.

The Board denied service connection for rhinitis, sinusitis, and a right ankle condition. The claims for depression were dismissed as moot.

The Board denied the claims for an increased rating for tinnitus, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and remanded several other claims including a higher rating for left ankle sprain and service connections for tension headaches, right index finger laceration residuals, and left hand idiopathic neuropathy.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an initial disability rating greater than 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability due to a duty to assist error.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee conditions as moot because these conditions were granted in an April 2024 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches was granted, while other claims were withdrawn or remanded.