The Veteran's left ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5271 for marked limitation of motion. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any other claimed conditions.,Service connection has been granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks, and alcohol use disorder), sleep apnea, low back disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, left knee disorder, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. Service connection was denied for the remaining conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent based on marked limitation of motion under Diagnostic Code 5271. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no evidence of ankylosis or other factors that would warrant such a rating.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle, left wrist, left leg (other than radiculopathy), right lower extremity shin splint, left lower extremity shin splint, radiculopathy of right lower extremity, hernia disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks, and alcohol use disorder), PTSD, sleep apnea, low back disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, left knee disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19184019
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,820 · Granted: 26% (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 19184019.
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 case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
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