The Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability is granted a 20% rating, effective July 2015. The appeal for earlier effective dates for the left and right knee disabilities is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left ankle disability was found to have marked limitation of motion, warranting a 20% rating under DC 5271.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19156495
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 19156495.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an extension of a temporary total evaluation based on convalescence for left ankle surgery beyond July 1, 2019, as there were no severe postoperative residuals after this date.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right shoulder disability. Service connection is granted for OSA, left ankle, lumbar spine, and right hip disabilities. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and coronary artery disease are remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted clothing allowances for a back brace and wheelchair, but denied them for a neck brace, bilateral knee braces, pain medication therapy, cane, and walker.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle disability, left ankle surgical scar, and bilateral eyes with dry eye syndrome were denied. The Board found no evidence of ankylosis or marked limitation of motion in the left ankle, which prevented a higher rating. For the left ankle scar, the medical evidence did not support a separate compensable rating under DC 7802. For the eyes, there was no incapacitating episodes and visual acuity and field were unaffected.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.