The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left ankle sprain was rated as noncompensable from March 2, 1980 to June 5, 2001, and 10 percent thereafter. The right wrist laceration with medial nerve involvement was also rated at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran's left ankle had mild limitation of motion and increased laxity on the lateral side, while his right wrist had a history of trauma but no significant current impairment beyond what is already accounted for in the existing rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ankle sprain, Right wrist laceration with medial nerve involvement
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 9, 2006
- Citation
- 0600665
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the regular need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as adjustment and other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorders. The initial evaluations for right shoulder labral tear, right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, right hip strain with limitation of flexion, right hip strain with limitation of extension, right hip strain with impairment of thigh, and allergic rhinitis were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with herniated disc at L3-L5 and IVDS, denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for left ankle sprain and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and granted earlier effective dates for service connection for certain conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent evaluation for left ankle sprain from August 18, 2020, and a 30 percent evaluation for the left foot disability. The claims for increased ratings for painful and unstable left ankle scars and residual left ankle scars were denied, as was the claim for TDIU.
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