The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic left ankle disability and granted it, finding that new and material evidence was submitted to establish aggravation of his pre-existing condition during active duty.
The deciding factor: The pre-existing osteochondritis dessicans of the left talus, status-post arthrotomy of the left ankle and talus, as well as subsequent surgeries for degenerative joint disease, was aggravated by physical activities performed in service.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic left ankle disability, status-post left ankle reconstruction with traumatic arthritis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- February 14, 2014
- Citation
- 1406551
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 1406551.
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 has granted the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for degenerative changes, left knee with Baker’s cyst; chronic left ankle disability; seborrheic dermatitis (claimed as a skin condition due to undiagnosed illness); and hypothyroidism. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a supplemental VA medical opinion on whether his current right ankle disability is etiologically linked to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and a chronic left ankle disability, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or aggravation, and concluding that any current disabilities were not related to service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claim that his chronic left ankle disability is related to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current left ankle disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
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