The Veteran's back disability is rated at 20% prior to December 13, 2017 and at 40% thereafter. The ratings for right ankle tendonitis and left ankle tendonitis are denied. A TDIU was granted for the period before December 13, 2017.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's back disability did not meet criteria for a higher rating as it did not result in ankylosis or incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis deformans with partial L5 sacralization and intervertebral disc syndrome, right ankle tendonitis, left ankle tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19103916
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,035 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19103916.
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: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right ankle tendonitis, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The April 24, 1995, Rating Decision was reversed and service connection for coccyx disability is granted. Other motions for revision of the April 24, 1995, Rating Decision were denied or remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle tendonitis due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error in the April 2021 medical opinion. The case is being returned to the AOJ for an addendum opinion.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding the proposed discontinuance of a temporary total rating based on convalescence for right ankle tendonitis and instability status-post subtalar arthrodesis ORIF due to procedural issues.
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