The Veteran's left lower extremity nerve damage disability has been rated at 20 percent disabling, but the evidence does not support a higher rating. A separate 10 percent rating is assigned for a painful surgery scar over the left ankle.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the Veteran's service-connected left lower extremity nerve damage disability manifests as hypersensitivity in the left foot area, pain in the tibiotalar joint and left lateral malleolar region, chronic dull pain in the left sural nerve distribution over the left foot, decreased sensation to light touch over the sural nerve distribution, edema at the talar neck, and hypertrophy of the synovium in the anterior aspect of the tibiotalar joint. These symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8521.
- Claimed conditions
- left lower extremity nerve damage
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2011
- Citation
- 1141659
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1141659.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for back condition, right lower extremity nerve damage, left lower extremity nerve damage, and residuals of a right-hand injury as the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for these conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including cervical spine, chronic fatigue, and various nerve damages, as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to in-service events.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for left upper extremity nerve damage, right upper extremity nerve damage, left lower extremity nerve damage, right lower extremity nerve damage, lung cancer, and emphysema.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed because the Veteran did not timely file a Board Appeal request with respect to the rating decision issued on September 24, 2021.
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