The Board has granted service connection for right ankle degenerative joint disease and found that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to in-service injury. The initial evaluation for thoracic spine strain remains unchanged at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA orthopedic examiner opined that the current right ankle disability was at least as likely as not related to in-service injury, while noting that there is no well-defined in-service injury documented in the record.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 1, 2010
- Citation
- 1044887
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 1044887.
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 the Veteran's claims for eligibility for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation due to not meeting the legal criteria.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left ankle degenerative joint disease, right ankle degenerative joint disease, and lumbosacral strain as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal was denied for ratings greater than 20 percent for right ankle degenerative joint disease, and granted initial 20 percent and 40 percent ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy respectively.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected right ankle degenerative joint disease and depression do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to their combined effect, as they do not render him unemployable.
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