Ankle decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disability. The remaining claims of service connection for various disabilities are remanded due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's appeal of the award of an earlier effective date for tinnitus has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for increased disability evaluations for his low back injury, right knee injury, left knee injury, left ankle injury, and bilateral hearing loss have all been dismissed as the appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran through his representative.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral ankle disabilities, bilateral knee disabilities, and a thoracolumbar spine disability. Service connection was granted for hypertension.

All claims for service connection related to lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, athlete's foot/tinea pedis, right shin splints, left shin splints, erectile dysfunction, alopecia areata (hair loss), and acne have been dismissed due to lack of timely appeal. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for these conditions.

All claims for service connection related to lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, athlete's foot/tinea pedis, right shin splints, left shin splints, erectile dysfunction, alopecia areata (hair loss), and acne have been dismissed due to lack of timely appeal. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's service-connection claim for a left ankle disability is dismissed from the Board docket. The skin disability claim is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hypertension and hemorrhoids are dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left ankle disability, bilateral arm condition, and bilateral hand condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and lumbar spine disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence supports the readjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability. The Veteran's current left ankle disability is found to be related to his active duty service, with no indication of subsequent post-service re-injury.

The Board has granted service connection for left foot/ankle conditions, including arthritis. The claim for a neck condition is remanded due to the lack of a medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for left foot/ankle conditions, including arthritis. The claim for a neck condition is remanded due to the lack of a medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for left ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of current examination evidence that accurately reflects their current state.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, including lateral collateral ligament sprain and degenerative arthritis, has been rated at 10 percent since January 14, 2021. The Board finds the VA medical examinations inadequate for review due to lack of addressing functional loss with repeated use over time and failure to assess whether stiffness causes ankylosis.

The appeals for left ankle, right ankle, diabetes mellitus type II, lumbosacral strain, osteoarthritis post-traumatic as secondary to gout, and right ear hearing loss disabilities have been dismissed.,New and relevant evidence has been presented or secured regarding the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, cervical spine disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral foot disability. These appeals are granted in part.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury, residuals of a left knee injury, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased evaluations due to the need for medical opinions regarding potential exposure to toxins during service.

The Board denied service connection for chest pain and atrial fibrillation, finding no evidence of onset during service or a link to an in-service injury.,For the left ankle strain, the Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 10%.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and a total rating based on individual unemployability were dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical examinations.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but denied for hearing loss.