Ankle decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for left ankle and left knee disabilities as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or that the current conditions were related to active service.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including the right and left hip, ankle, and flatfoot conditions due to insufficient evidence of current disability. The claims for shoulder strain, neck, back, and neurological conditions were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for a left ankle disability, cervical spine disability, and migraine headache disability. The appeal regarding the lumbosacral strain was remanded.

The Board denied increased ratings for left ankle sprain with instability, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD, and remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including dental trauma, chronic respiratory failure, headaches, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, low back disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, hemorrhoids, epigastric pain, thyroid disability, monoclonal paraproteinemia, and hip disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for a right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and coccyx injury residuals with lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral hand disorder and right ankle disorder, both diagnosed as crystalline arthropathy. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, but granted a 30 percent rating for diabetic nephropathy. Other claims were either denied or granted ratings within the range requested.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a strain of the left 5th digit, left ankle strain, lumbosacral strain, headaches, and left lower extremity radiculopathy to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have prevented her from being able to secure and follow substantially gainful occupation, and she is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the statutory housebound rate.

The Board remands the claims for further development of evidence, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for a right ankle condition, left ankle condition, bilateral foot condition, and allergic rhinitis. The claim for migraines was remanded.

The Board granted service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that the clinical onset of the condition occurred during a period of inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Board granted service connection for scars resulting from surgery for malignant melanoma incurred during active duty service and remanded the other claims for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an initial compensable rating for various disabilities, as well as remanded a claim for service connection for a left foot disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions to correct duty-to-assist errors and obtain additional evidence.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain and denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. The rating for the right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain was also denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, a left foot disability, major depressive disorder, and secondary disabilities related to the left foot. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection and increased rating as there was no case or controversy, and the issues were already adjudicated on their merits.

The Board denied service connection for multiple disabilities and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or nexus to service.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD, but denied higher ratings and increased initial ratings for other conditions.