The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle condition and found that his lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease warrants a 40% rating, which is the maximum available under the applicable VA rating criteria.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support the presence of a current right ankle disability or any link to service. For the lumbar strain, while there was no ankylosis, the Veteran's range of motion and x-ray findings were within normal limits, thus not meeting the criteria for higher ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle condition, Lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- September 8, 2017
- Citation
- 1738033
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 1738033.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has prevented him from securing and maintaining gainful employment throughout the appeal period, leading to a grant of TDIU. The issue of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was withdrawn by the appellant.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's right ankle condition is granted a 10 percent disability rating, and his service-connected headaches are granted as secondary to his TBI.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral knee conditions, and bilateral hearing loss due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's right ankle condition is granted, but his bilateral pes planus and bilateral knee conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion.
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