Ankle decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that the Veteran's application for PCAFC benefits is remanded due to insufficient notice and an inadequate medical opinion. The AOJ must provide complete notice of the decision as required by law, including identification of whether or not the claim meets the criteria under 38 U.S.C. § 1720G and 38 C.F.R. § 71.15-71.25. Additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran qualifies for personal care services.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disorder, finding no current diagnosis and insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for onychomycosis is remanded due to an inadequate VA examination report.

The Board has remanded the claim for SMC based on aid and attendance due to a pre-decisional error in not considering evidence submitted by the Veteran within the applicable evidentiary window. The AOJ is required to obtain an opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the need for A&A.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on multiple service-connected knee and hip conditions has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, chlamydia, residuals of a head injury, right ankle disorder, and right knee disorder were denied. The claim for tinnitus was granted on the basis of in-service noise exposure. Service connection was also granted for a low back disorder (lumbosacral strain).

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions were dismissed due to a failure to timely file Notice of Disagreement (NOD) within one year from the date of the rating decision.,Specifically, the Veteran did not file an NOD on VA Form 10182 until February 2021, which was more than one year after the August 2019 rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of right foot, left foot, right ankle, and left ankle injuries incurred during military service.

The Veteran's left ankle condition and acquired psychiatric disorder are found to be service-connected, but the case is remanded for further clarification on the nature of his psychiatric conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, right ankle, and allergic rhinitis disabilities were granted with an effective date of March 25, 2019.

The Board has determined that there were duty to assist errors and remands are needed for the following issues: increased evaluations for service-connected tension headaches, dry eye syndrome with pinguecula and arcus senilis, hypertension, left foot musculocutaneous nerve (superficial peroneal) paralysis; and service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed shoulder, knee, and ankle conditions are not related to his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right ankle disability and denied service connection for varicose veins secondary to her right ankle disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU and denial of SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected left foot plantar fasciitis and other foot conditions. The Board has determined that these issues should be remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle and left great toe disabilities due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation. The mood disorder claim is related to direct service connection, while the left ankle disability claim involves a direct service connection as well.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, as the AOJ should obtain a medical opinion differentiating the respiratory impairment attributable to his service-connected lung condition from that attributable to non-service-connected COPD.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, lumbar spine, and left ankle disabilities, finding that these conditions are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right knee meniscus derangement, right knee instability (ACL tear), and right ankle osteophyte have been granted. The highest rating of 20 percent has been assigned for the right ankle osteophyte.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of left ankle and right wrist disabilities due to a procedural defect in failing to file a timely appeal within one year from the March 2018 rating decision.