Ankle decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hip disability, but remanded claims for a right knee and ankle condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude substantially gainful employment, and a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, low back pain, and sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia in the legs.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for fatigue, pes planus, gout in the feet (secondary to PTSD), ankle disability, and right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for sensorineural hearing loss and remanded the remaining claims for further development.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right ankle disability and granted restoration of a 40 percent rating for traumatic brain injury (TBI), while remanding claims for service connection for lower back, left hip, and right hip disabilities.

The appeal concerning the propriety of the rating reductions for the Veteran's right distal fibula disability and tinea pedis was dismissed, while SMC based on the need for aid and attendance was granted prior to February 20, 2024.

The Board denied service connection for right foot disorder, right ankle disorder, and left ear hearing loss as the evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The appeal for service connection for various disabilities was dismissed as the Veteran filed his appeal more than one year after the AOJ's final decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle sprain and various aspects of his left hip strain, finding no evidence of marked limitation of motion or other criteria that would warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board remands the claim for a VA medical opinion and to obtain outstanding treatment records from Dr. S.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors and the need for additional evidence.

The Board granted service connection for left ankle strain and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), denied service connection for Helicobacter pylori, and granted a 50 percent initial rating for migraine headaches.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, rhinitis, left ankle disability, left knee disability, right leg shin splints, and left leg shin splints due to a duty to assist error.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the right ankle sprain with tenosynovitis and a separate disability rating for right ankle instability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or a grant of service connection.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for post-traumatic arthritis, right ankle and denied an initial compensable rating for scar residual laceration of forehead as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for painful scar, residual, laceration of forehead. The claims for service connection for headaches, anxiety, and insomnia secondary to the service-connected scar residual laceration of forehead were remanded.

The Board remands the claim for a bilateral ankle disorder to obtain an adequate medical examination and opinion, as the previous VA medical opinion was found inadequate.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disorder, hypothyroidism, GERD, thyroid cancer, and a left ankle disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran, and therefore, no decision on the merits of the claims can be made.