The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for right ankle arthritis and granted a 10 percent evaluation for his scars of the right ankle. The veteran's right ankle disability is considered secondary to his stingray bite injury, and he also received an increased rating for his scar disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence submitted since the last denial was found to be both new and material, allowing the claim to be reopened. Service connection for the right ankle disability has been granted as secondary to a stingray bite injury, and the scars have been rated based on their severity.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle arthritis, residuals of dental trauma
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- September 26, 2003
- Citation
- 0325281
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 0325281.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Dismissed
The appeal as to the proposed rating reduction of right ankle arthritis was dismissed, and an initial disability rating higher than 10% for right ankle scar was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development, specifically to obtain relevant Social Security Administration records.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right foot arthritis and an earlier effective date of January 3, 2017, for a psychiatric disability rating, but denied service connection for left ankle disorder, right ankle arthritis (secondary to PTSD), increased rating for psychiatric disability, TDIU, and obstructive sleep apnea.
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