Ankle — all decisions

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and granted increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and right ankle disability.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for hypertension, a compensable rating for hypertension, and service connection for various conditions including PTSD, right ankle disability, left elbow disability, headaches, erectile dysfunction, but granted service connection for headaches and erectile dysfunction as secondary to hypertension, and special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection for a right knee disability and remanded issues related to the left ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence supporting an in-service injury or continuity of symptomatology. The claim for a psychiatric disorder was also denied as the Veteran's statements were found not credible.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left hand/finger disability, and right foot/ankle disability based on the Veteran's credible reports of continuous symptoms since service.

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for residuals of right ankle inversion injury from May 9, 2015, but no higher.

The Veteran's service connection for migraine headaches was granted, while the claim for a left ankle disorder was denied.

The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and a rating in excess of 10 percent for a left ankle disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for multiple disabilities, including bilateral wrist, ankle, foot, shoulder, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, lumbosacral spine, and carpal tunnel syndrome, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to active service.

The Board granted an initial, 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left ankle degenerative arthritis with lateral collateral ligament sprain.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 27, 2023, for the award of service connection for left ankle osteoarthritis and remanded a claim for a higher disability evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for pes planus (flat feet) and remanded several other issues, including service connection for various disorders and increased ratings for the right knee. The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability.

The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's residuals of a left ankle fracture, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for right foot and ankle disorders, granted service connection for chronic kidney disease stage 3 as secondary to hypertension, and denied a higher rating for hypertension. The effective date for the grant of service connection for hypertension was set to May 5, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including plantar fasciitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, GERD, and various musculoskeletal issues. The decision also remanded the claims for sleep apnea and a higher rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied readjudication of the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, aphthous ulcers, a right elbow condition, an enlarged prostate, a right ankle disorder, and a left ankle disorder as no new and relevant evidence was received.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for headaches, left ankle arthritic condition, left knee strain, lumbosacral strain, right ankle arthritic condition, right knee strain, sciatica, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a need for additional development of evidence.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for chronic right and left ankle strain due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically the failure to obtain an adequate medical opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle condition for compensation purposes due to his discharge being characterized as other than honorable.