The Veteran's chronic strain of the left ankle disability was granted a 20 percent evaluation from January 1, 2008 to August 21, 2017. The appeal for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent since August 21, 2017 is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed marked limited motion without ankylosis of the left ankle from January 1, 2008 to August 21, 2017, warranting a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5271.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic strain of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19187758
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,272 · Granted: 31% (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 19187758.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and chronic strain of the left ankle are being remanded due to insufficient opinions regarding causation and aggravation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for initial and increased ratings for chronic strain of the left ankle are being remanded due to need for additional examination and development.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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