The VA has determined that the veteran's left ankle degenerative joint disease, status post fusion, warrants a maximum rating of 20 percent and thus does not meet criteria for an increased rating.
The deciding factor: The objective medical evidence shows severe pain and limited motion with atrophy but no limitation of motion exceeding what is required for a 20% rating under Diagnostic Code 5271.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 28, 2006
- Citation
- 0626999
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,613 · Granted: 30% (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 0626999.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's left ankle DJD and instability are each rated at 20 percent, with the instability issue being granted. The rating for DJD remains denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasoning in its previous decision regarding a rating higher than 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle. The Veteran's testimony during his May 2013 hearing was not adequately addressed, and the Court ordered additional development including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling an examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for traumatic brain injury, left knee degenerative joint disease, and left ankle degenerative joint disease have been granted. The service connection is established based on direct evidence of the conditions during active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issues of an initial compensable rating for PFB, service connection for a chronic low back disorder, service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle, service connection for chronic cardiovascular disease, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
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