Ankle decisions — 2026

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues are remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a frostbite condition, right wrist condition, and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB). The claim for an initial compensable rating for tinnitus is also denied.,Service connection was not granted for the right ankle condition due to the evidence being in equipoise.

The Veteran's urinary frequency disability is granted as service-connected. The right ankle scar issue is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to pes planus and lower back conditions are being remanded due to the submission of new medical evidence. The left ankle and knee disabilities have been rated appropriately.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (psychiatric disability), tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, lumbosacral strain with levoconvex midthoracic scoliosis (lumbar spine disability), right shoulder dislocation with rotator cuff tendonitis and shoulder strain (right shoulder disability), left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis (left shoulder disability), right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (left knee disability), right ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (right ankle disability), and left ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (left ankle disability) has been granted. The effective date for these decisions is November 28, 2022.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claims for right ankle disability, right knee disability, and back disability due to new evidence received after a September 2024 rating decision. Service connection is now granted for right ankle arthritis and total ankle joint replacement, right knee strain, meniscal tear, anterior cruciate ligament tear, osteoarthritis, and total knee arthroplasty, as well as degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome of the thoracolumbar spine secondary to these conditions. The Board also granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the back disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right ankle sprain disabilities, hemorrhoids, and major depression with psychotic features (to be rated together with PTSD) have been granted.,An increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as a matter of law.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for acid reflux, a left foot condition, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence of current disabilities or causal relationships with in-service events.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted, and his service connection claims for various conditions were dismissed. The effective date of the TDIU is not specified in the decision.

The Veteran is granted an increase in SMC to the intermediate rate between subsections (m) and (n), effective October 15, 2021, due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder rated at 100 percent disabling.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims are not granted as there is no current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected ulcerative colitis is found to have caused his arthralgia in the left and right feet, ankles, hands, and wrists. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety and depression, erectile dysfunction, bilateral ankle disability, left knee osteoarthritis, hypertension, and gastritis are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety and depression, erectile dysfunction, bilateral ankle disability, left knee osteoarthritis, hypertension, and gastritis.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities as well as bilateral pes planus (flat foot) and foot pain. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or were related to in-service injuries.,The Veteran's Service Treatment Records showed no complaints or treatment for the claimed conditions prior to his discharge from active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right ankle disability, and a new examination is needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle condition, finding that new and relevant evidence received after the May 2015 rating decision did not establish an in-service injury or aggravation of a pre-existing condition. The Board also found no persuasive weight of the evidence to support service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities is granted as the April 28, 2020 request for higher-level review was sufficient to opt into the Appeals Modernization Act appeals system.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis has been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of its occurrence during or shortly after his military service.,The Veteran's appeal seeking an initial compensable rating for headaches was dismissed due to the lack of timely filing and concurrent election issues. The issue will be remanded for further consideration.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diverticulosis/IBS (formerly GERD) has been dismissed as it is no longer pending at the Board level after a grant by the Board in February 2025, effective from January 23, 2021.,The Veteran's appeal seeking an initial compensable rating for CTS was dismissed due to concurrent election issues. The issue will be remanded for further consideration.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD has been granted by the Board in February 2025, effective from January 23, 2021. The appeal is dismissed as this represents a full grant of the benefit sought on appeal.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus/plantar fasciitis and CTS were remanded due to concurrent election issues. These issues will be addressed in a future rating decision.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI was not on appeal as it was predecisional error not to address the current rating issue. The issue is remanded for further consideration.,The Veteran's appeal seeking an earlier effective date for the award of a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches will be considered in a future decision.

The Board has granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), headaches, tinnitus, a back disorder, right knee and leg arthritis, left knee and leg arthritis, right hand arthritis, left hand arthritis, right ankle arthritis, and left ankle arthritis as they are at least as likely as not related to active-duty service.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical strain, rotator cuff tendinitis of the left and right shoulders, left hip condition (including a total hip replacement), right hip condition, patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis of the left knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service.,The Veteran's assertions regarding the onset of his disabilities were not supported by medical evidence or continuity of symptoms.