The Veteran's bilateral ankle disabilities have been rated at 10 percent for each ankle since March 26, 2013.,Effective dates prior to March 26, 2013 are not warranted as there was no pending claim and the increase in disability within a year before the March 26, 2013 claim is not factually ascertainable.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's ankle disabilities have been rated at 10 percent for each ankle since March 26, 2013. There was no pending claim prior to this date and the increase in disability within a year before the March 26, 2013 claim is not factually ascertainable.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle achilles tendonitis, right ankle achilles tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19145963
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 19145963.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring another VA examination for nerve conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's left ankle disability was granted a 20% rating from July 30, 2012 to February 18, 2023. The claim for an increased rating beyond this period is denied.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's low back and left ankle disabilities, granted a 20% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy from April 14, 2023, to October 11, 2023, and granted an earlier effective date of January 14, 2016, for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the awards of 10 percent ratings for right and left ankle achilles tendonitis, as it was not factually ascertainable that a 10 percent rating was warranted within one year prior to September 2, 2023.
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