Ankle decisions — 2025

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and TDIU, as well as initial ratings in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea, a compensable rating for hypertension, and increased ratings for various other disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for several conditions, including ADHD, right ear hearing loss, G6PD deficiency, intestinal disability, eye disability, and others. However, the Board has granted service connection for cervical spine arthritis.

The Board denied the applications to revise an October 2022 rating decision based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) for assigning effective dates of May 27, 2021 for various service connection claims.

The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability to correct duty to assist errors, including missing VA treatment records and an inadequate August 2021 examination report.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, right and left ankle tendonitis, and a right hand fifth metacarpal (little finger) fracture.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, a lung condition, and a dental disorder for VA compensation purposes due to the lack of evidence supporting these claims. The claims for other disabilities were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the matter for a pre-decisional hearing and an addendum opinion to determine if there is a current right ankle disability that is related to service.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition and a right ankle condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board dismissed all service connection claims and the appeal for a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis due to the Veteran's failure to timely submit a new Notice of Disagreement.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining private medical records and ensuring that any necessary medical nexus opinions acknowledge the on and off nature of the veteran's reserve service as well as his very similar job duties during service and between/after service.

The Board granted an effective date of January 16, 2018, for the awards of service connection and subsequently assigned ratings for left ankle, right lower extremity, and right hip disabilities, as well as a 20 percent rating for a lumbar spine disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left ankle disorders to obtain an adequate etiology opinion as to their nature and etiology.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral ankle, knee, and hip conditions due to missing personnel records that could confirm the Veteran's participation in active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or authorized travel.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various joint conditions, cervical spine arthritis, lumbosacral spine arthritis, and radiculopathy of the upper extremities to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board granted service connection for right ankle arthritis and right elbow strain disability, but remanded the claims for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a skin disability, chronic lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right ankle, and left knee strain disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left hip, right hip, and right ankle as further development is needed.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's bilateral ankle, elbow, shoulder, cervical spine, and skin conditions, except for a 40% rating for bilateral ankle gout from March 1, 2021, and a 30% rating for eczema, onychomycosis, and pilonidal cyst from April 25, 2023.

The Board remands the claims for a right shoulder and right ankle disability to obtain outstanding private treatment records from Kaiser Permanente and to provide new VA examinations with medical nexus opinions.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle injury residuals due to a lack of evidence supporting the presence of a current disability.