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Denied

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his left tibia and fibula fracture, currently rated at 20 percent. The appeal is based on current manifestations of arthritis with pain and limited motion.

The deciding factor: The veteran's residuals from the original fracture are currently manifested by arthritis, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they do not include ankylosis or more than moderate overall functional limitation of the left ankle.

Claimed conditions
healed fracture of the left tibia, mild chondromalacia of the patella, degenerative arthritis at the left ankle
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
20%
Decision date
November 18, 2002
Citation
0216533

This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0216533.

What this means for you

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