The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for osteoarthritis of the right ankle was denied, as his current disability level does not warrant a higher evaluation. The service connection claim for alcohol induced anxiety disorder, claimed as depression with alcohol dependency secondary to osteoarthritis of the right ankle, was also denied due to lack of legal merit.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current disability level for osteoarthritis of the right ankle is manifested by pain, stiffness, dorsiflexion limited to 10 degrees, and plantar flexion limited to 35 degrees. These findings do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation than 10 percent under DC 5271.
- Claimed conditions
- Osteoarthritis of the right ankle
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 6, 2014
- Citation
- 1449331
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 1449331.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right ankle was granted with an initial evaluation of 10 percent effective September 17, 2018. The Board has now granted a higher rating but is remanding to determine if an even higher rating is warranted.
- Granted
The Board has granted an initial 40 percent rating for the Veteran's right ankle disability, finding that his symptoms more nearly approximated ankylosis in dorsiflexion at more than 10 degrees during flare-ups and after repetitive use over time.
- Denied
The Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome are currently rated at 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively. The Board denied the claims for higher ratings as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under DC 8515.,The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right ankle and left ankle are both currently rated at 10 percent. The Board denied the claims for higher ratings as there is no evidence that meets the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5003-5271.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination to address the inadequacies of previous examinations and obtain any relevant private treatment records.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.