The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities are now rated at 20 percent each, effective January 22, 2018.,An earlier effective date of January 22, 2018, is granted for a 50% rating for bilateral pes planus.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to January 22, 2018, is denied.
The deciding factor: The criteria for a 20 percent rating were met based on marked limitation of motion in the right and left ankles.,An earlier effective date was granted as the Veteran's disability picture became factually ascertainable on January 22, 2018.,There is no evidence that the Veteran could not secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to January 22, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle disability, left ankle disability, bilateral pes planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 14, 2019
- Citation
- A19002825
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A19002825.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Appellant's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection for bilateral pes planus and gynecomastia scar residuals, finding that the earliest possible effective dates are the dates of receipt of the claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left, right ankle disabilities, left and right hip disabilities, left and right shin splints, and left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate nexus opinions in the VA examination reports. The Veteran contends that her current disabilities are related to injuries sustained during basic training.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left knee disability, tension headaches, a left ankle disability, and a back disability due to the Veteran's death.
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