Ankle decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ankle ligament damage due to insufficient medical evidence and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions of the upper and lower extremities, including skull fractures, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right arm condition, left arm condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, left hip condition, right leg condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, and right foot condition have all been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back, right ankle, and bilateral hip disabilities are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease leading to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his inability to use assistive devices and his ability to independently ambulate.

Your appeals to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) for service connection on several conditions have been dismissed due to your failure to provide the date of the VA decision you were attempting to appeal.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for vertigo, right foot condition, left ankle condition, urinary frequency, right shoulder condition, and left foot condition are all denied.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for urinary frequency, right shoulder condition, and left foot condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left ankle disability, bilateral foot condition, and diabetes mellitus due to in-service complaints and symptoms. The AOJ is required to obtain a VA examination for each issue.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle compound fracture, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his in-service injury and his current condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle condition and COPD, as both conditions are claimed to be related to his service-connected disabilities. The VA examinations provided were inadequate due to lack of proper rationale and consideration of secondary service connection.

The Board has found multiple pre-decisional duty to assist errors and remands the following issues: service connection for tinea, initial compensable rating for pilonidal cyst, initial rating higher than 10 percent for lumbosacral strain, initial compensable rating for left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and an initial rating higher than 30 percent for PTSD. The Veteran served in the Coast Guard Reserve during the appeal period.

The Veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 10 percent prior to August 5, 2019 and from December 10, 2018 to August 4, 2019. From August 5, 2019 to April 2, 2024, the rating remained at 20 percent. Since April 3, 2024, a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since August 18, 2009. The RO denied a higher rating for PTSD.,A 20 percent disability rating is granted for degenerative changes of the left talus bone in the left ankle from November 22, 2012.

The Board denied an increased initial rating for the left ankle disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the onset and relationship of the Veteran's left ankle condition to his service. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the condition began during or is otherwise related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to issues regarding service connection, disability ratings, and medical opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for acquired psychiatric disability and remanded the issues of right ankle and back disabilities due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and multiple lower extremity disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance from another person, warranting the grant of SMC aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral shin splints and ankle conditions due to a failure by the AOJ to consider the ameliorative effects of medications used to treat the Veteran's disabilities. The VA must provide adequate examinations that address the severity of her service-connected bilateral shin and ankle conditions, considering the ameliorative effects of any medication taken.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral ankle and knee disabilities, along with peripheral neuropathy and painful scars, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since August 1, 2024. The Board has granted entitlement to individual unemployability (TDIU) from that date.

The Veteran's neck condition is granted as service-connected, but her right ankle condition remains denied.,The Board has remanded the claims for sinus and back conditions.