Ankle decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, right shoulder disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and bilateral wrist disorder due to errors in scheduling VA examinations.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the right ankle laceration scar and remanded claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include panic disorder, and entitlement to a higher rating for PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for shin splints and denied it for high cholesterol. The remaining claims for service connection for left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right foot plantar fasciitis, anxiety condition, and PTSD were remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings and higher initial ratings for various disabilities, leading to the dismissal of all claims.

The Board denied the claims for an earlier effective date and remanded increased rating claims for a left ankle condition and skin condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a left ankle condition, a right ankle condition, a left hip condition, a right hip condition, a left knee condition, and a right knee condition as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board denied compensation benefits for prostate biopsy and colonoscopy residuals, as well as service connection for left ankle pain, right ankle pain, left elbow arthritis, right elbow arthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle Achilles tendonitis, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with DDD, IVDS and spinal stenosis, and right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy. The claim for right foot pes planus with plantar fasciitis was dismissed.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus from February 18, 1998, to May 28, 2019.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all service connection claims.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities to obtain additional private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, post traumatic pain cervical cervicothoracic regions, and residuals of traumatic brain injury. The initial ratings for various service-connected conditions were also denied.

The appeals for service connection regarding right and left ankle tarsal tunnel syndrome were withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board granted service connection for various conditions, including right and left ankle sprain, right and left knee strain with limitation of flexion and extension, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and a lumbar spine scar, with effective dates from February 21, 2019. The Board also granted increased ratings for right and left ankle sprain starting July 13, 2022.

The veteran has withdrawn the appeal for all service connection claims.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's bilateral foot, left ankle, right ankle, and right knee disabilities but granted a separate 30 percent rating for right knee limited extension and TDIU.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased evaluation of various conditions due to a request for information regarding the competence of the VA examiners who provided expert medical opinions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for tarsal tunnel syndrome of both lower extremities and remanded service connection claims for right and left ankle conditions.

The Board granted a 10 percent initial rating for hypertension and denied higher ratings or service connection for the other conditions.

The Board denied initial disability ratings in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, and 30 percent for COPD with asthma. The claims for service connection for various disabilities were remanded.