The veteran was granted initial disability evaluations of 20 percent for frostbite residuals of both lower extremities and 10 percent for instability of each ankle, effective July 31, 2006.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the next-higher disability evaluation of 20 percent is warranted for the frostbite residuals due to color changes, while a 10 percent rating is appropriate for the ankle instability based on moderate limitation and pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Frostbite residuals of the right lower extremity, Frostbite residuals of the left lower extremity, Instability of the right ankle, Instability of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 26, 2009
- Citation
- 0902646
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 609 · Granted: 22% (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 0902646.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent for left ankle ankylosis in dorsiflexion and a separate initial 20 percent rating for instability of the left ankle, effective November 4, 2016.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right ankle disability has been granted a 20 percent rating, and instability of the right ankle is also granted. The issues of service connection for a vestibular disorder and TDIU have been remanded.
- Denied
The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the grant of service connection for instability of the left ankle, as there is no competent evidence showing a current disability related to an in-service injury.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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