The Board has granted a higher 20 percent rating for the Veteran's chronic left ankle strain, effective July 3, 2008.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners consistently found marked limitation of motion in the Veteran's left ankle, including due to pain during flare-ups and prolonged use. The Veteran has only 'half' or normal dorsiflexion and 'less than half' of normal plantar flexion.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic left ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19178467
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,669 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19178467.
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 remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examination reports and failure to address possible evidence of left knee instability.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of both arms and legs, finding that his conditions did not meet the criteria for SMC(k), SMC(l), or any other applicable rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's left ankle disability is characterized by moderate limitation of motion during the appeal period, and he has had a 10 percent rating for the entire appeals period. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected chronic left ankle strain.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle disorders have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.
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.