The Board denied the claimant's service connection for a right ankle disability and his claims for increased ratings for low back strain. The claimant's current disabilities were found to be not related to active service or secondary to any service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the claimed disabilities were incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor was there sufficient medical evidence to support a finding of secondary service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Strain, Right Ankle Sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2003
- Citation
- 0309367
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 673 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0309367.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's right ankle disability, which includes a Brostrom reconstruction and right ankle sprain, is currently rated at 10 percent prior to November 14, 2024. The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the entire period on appeal based on marked limited motion of the right ankle.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the physical loss or permanent loss of use of his hands or feet, nor does he have a severe burn injury. Therefore, he is ineligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.
- Granted
The Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's service-connected low back strain with degenerative arthritis, effective from September 26, 2008. The decision is based on functional limitation equivalent to forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less due to pain and other symptoms.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's low back strain is rated at 40 percent, and the issues of IBS and CFS are dismissed. The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder with a major depressive episode do not meet criteria for a higher rating. Service connection is granted for cervical strain and right knee pain.
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