Ankle Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for recurrent tinnitus, left ankle disability, and left lower ear scar but denied service connection for hair loss. The Board also denied initial compensable ratings for tinea pedis and rhinitis.

The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection awards related to right foot and left knee conditions, as well as a right ankle condition.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee, ankle, and hip disorders as new and relevant evidence has been submitted.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral hip disabilities to obtain VA examinations with etiology opinions.

The Board denied service connection for lateral collateral ligament sprain of both ankles as the evidence did not support a relationship between the current disabilities and the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of the right foot under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(k).

The Board remands the claim for a left ankle disability to obtain an adequate medical opinion that considers the Veteran's lay statements about his in-service ankle injury and addresses the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle instability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disability due to a duty to assist error.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for an increased disability evaluation for left ankle sprain and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to untimely filings.

The Board dismissed the appeal for chronic bronchitis as untimely and denied service connection for various other conditions including a left ankle disorder, asthma, shoulder disorder, chest disorder, foot disorder, GI disorder, hand disorder, knee disorder, and neck disorder due to lack of evidence supporting their direct relation to service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disorder, right shoulder painful scar, left shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, left knee disorder, and right leg atrophy and muscle deterioration in calf, quad, hamstring, as new VA etiology opinions are needed to address the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The appeal was dismissed for tinnitus, and service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss, a low back condition, an upper back condition, right ankle, left ankle, right knee, left knee, and bilateral foot conditions.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the right ankle disability prior to November 16, 2019 and from April 23, 2021 onward; denied a higher rating during other periods. The Board also granted a 30 percent disability rating for the right foot pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, left foot achilles spur and degenerative arthritis, and right foot hallux valgus from September 28, 2023 to May 29, 2025; denied a higher rating during other periods. The Board granted TDIU for the period from March 1, 2025 to June 6, 2025.

The Board granted service connection for several left-sided joint conditions and a right shoulder disability, while denying service connection for a skeletal system disorder other than degenerative arthritis and a right knee disability.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for a left wrist condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, dry mouth, and a skin condition. Several claims were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for additional development, specifically to obtain adequate retrospective VA medical opinions addressing the criteria noted in Correia v. McDonald and Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board denied service connection for a left hamstring disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and various other disabilities. The claims for service connection for left ankle, right ankle, acquired psychiatric, systemic lupus erythematosus, lumbar spine, right shoulder, right hip, left knee, right knee, and bilateral shin splints were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and denied the claims for a urinary disability, an earlier effective date for erectile dysfunction, and compensable ratings for pseudofolliculitis barbae, right ankle scars, and other conditions. The cervical spine and GERD with gastritis claims were remanded.

The appeal seeking service connection for hypertension and the appeals of issues in the April 2023, March 2023, February 2023, May 2021, November 2020, August 2019, July 2017, and June 2016 rating decisions were dismissed for untimely filing. The appeal of service connection for right ankle was remanded.

The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to address the current severity of the Veteran's right shoulder and left ankle disabilities, as the previous examinations were insufficient.