Ankle decisions — 2025

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and compensable ratings for various conditions, including vasculitis of the feet and ankle and scars on both feet.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right ankle gout, but no higher; denied ratings in excess of 20 percent for the same conditions. It also granted a 10 percent disability rating for left and right wrist gout, but no higher.

The Board granted service connection for a disability manifested by left ankle pain and right ankle pain, but denied service connection for left shoulder impingement syndrome and right shoulder impingement syndrome.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a neck disability with permanent nerve damage and difficulty with hands and legs, left ankle, left foot, left leg, right leg, left leg artery, right leg artery, back, and respiratory conditions, to verify potential toxic risk exposure activities (TERA) in addition to conceded herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's left ankle disability has been granted a 40 percent rating, and the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and TDIU have been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and a left ankle disability as there was insufficient evidence of an in-service incurrence or medical nexus, and no continuity of symptomatology following service.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected physical disabilities and granted a 40 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability prior to April 2, 2024. The decision also denied increased ratings for PTSD, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, right ankle, left ankle, and bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied service connection for left and right tibia disabilities as the evidence does not support the presence of a current disability during the appeal period. The claims for left and right ankle disabilities were remanded for further medical evaluation.

The Board denied the claims for increased ratings and remanded additional service connection claims due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations without good cause.

The Board remands the Veteran's appeal to obtain a new VA opinion addressing whether the Veteran's bilateral ankle functional impairment is related to his active duty service.

The Board granted service connection for a left ankle condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. The decision remanded an issue regarding a left hip condition.

The Board denied a disability rating greater than 10 percent for the service-connected traumatic hallux valgus of the left foot status post failed corrective surgery and bunionectomy with scar, as the maximum rating allowed was already assigned.

The Veteran was granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD from June 22, 2018, and the claims for increased ratings for right ankle and left wrist disabilities were denied. The claims for service connection for an eye disorder, prostate disorder, and heart murmur with mild aortic stenosis were also denied.

The Board remands the service connection claims for right knee and right ankle disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.

The appeal was remanded for the issues of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and right ankle disability, while the claim for a rating more than 70 percent for panic disorder without agoraphobia and antisocial personality disorder was denied.

The appeal for service connection for a neck disability, left ankle disability, and left foot disability is remanded to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left ankle disabilities because the Agency of Original Jurisdiction's (AOJ) failure to ensure that the C&P opinions are sufficient.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee strain and right ankle osteoarthritis status post right medial malleolar chip fracture due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors made by the AOJ.

The appeal for service connection for various conditions was dismissed as untimely because the Veteran did not timely file a VA Form 10182 within one year of the May 2021 rating decision, and good cause has not been shown.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and higher ratings for various disabilities, including post-traumatic headaches, scarring on the head, left ankle strain, PTSD with TBI, and other conditions.