Ankle decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that the AOJ committed pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors by failing to ensure that pertinent VA opinions were adequate and by failing to afford the Veteran VA examinations. The claims for service connection are therefore remanded for further medical development.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that meets the criteria set forth in VA regulations.,The claims for left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee conditions are denied due to lack of medical evidence demonstrating current disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left hip, right hip with asis enthesitis, and right ankle strain with enthesopathic changes as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee chondromalacia patella.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, finding that there is no persuasive evidence linking her current conditions to service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, diagnosed as tendonitis, is granted service connection.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted service connection. The Board notes that the evidence does not specify a particular type of exposure basis for this condition.,Service connection for cervical spine disability and lower back disability are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.,Service connection for bilateral toe disability (claimed as residuals from bilateral great toes surgery) is remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.,Service connection for left ankle disability and right knee disability are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to a lack of explanation in the April 2021 decision regarding whether participation in the program was in his best interest. The Board finds that the Veteran requires personal care services due to disabilities including posttraumatic stress disorder, tension headaches, and others.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of chronic sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, or right quadricep strain. For the issues related to bilateral plantar fasciitis, cervical spine disability, neck surgery scar, shoulder disabilities, ankle disabilities, knee disabilities, allergic rhinitis, and migraine headaches, the evidence did not support a finding that they were incurred in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain an adequate medical determination prior to the decision, and for issues related to eligibility for PCAFC benefits. The matter is being returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU due to inadequate reasons or bases in the August 2024 decision. The case is being remanded to obtain a new VA medical opinion that considers the severity of the Veteran's right ankle disability without the ameliorative effects of medications as required by Jones, 26 Vet. App. 56, and Ingram, 38 Vet. App. 130.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent left knee degenerative arthritis and strain residuals, as well as recurrent left ankle strain residuals, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The appeal of the earlier effective date for GERD disability is dismissed. The appeal of an earlier effective date for service connection for left hand scars is dismissed as it constitutes a freestanding claim and would otherwise be impermissible.

The appeal seeking revision of the March 1999 rating decision that denied entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a right shoulder disability is denied. The March 1999 rating decision, which awarded an initial noncompensable (zero percent) rating for the service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, is revised to reflect an award of an initial rating of 10 percent for a right ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder labral tear, including SLAP. However, the left ankle disability and knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the effective dates of the awards are August 14, 2023.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a left ankle disability is denied as there is no new and relevant evidence to support the claim, despite his reported in-service injury.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since January 23, 2013. The Board has granted a determination of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) with an effective date of January 23, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, and tinnitus have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's right eye disability and left ankle instability have been granted service connection, with the right eye disability being granted based on in-service injury and the left ankle instability due to a diagnosed condition. The Veteran is also receiving a 20% rating for his left ankle osteochondral lesion with degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, right ankle disorder, and left ankle disorder due to a lack of evidence showing the disorders were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an in-service injury and granting the claim on a direct basis.