The RO reduced the Veteran's right-ankle disability rating from 20 percent to 0 percent, effective May 1, 2014. The Board found that this reduction was not in accordance with applicable law and vacated it, restoring the 20 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The August 2013 VA ankle examination was inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran's medical history or prior examinations, leading to a flawed decision on disability improvement.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19143155
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and service connection for right knee and right ankle disorders.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board is remanding the claims for service connection due to a regulatory duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded several claims for further development and readjudication, including service connection for OSA and hypertension, as well as increased ratings for right wrist sprain, MDD, tension headaches, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
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