Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability, finding that at all times during the appeal his disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The deciding factor: The VA examinations provided information needed to rate the Veteran’s disability including range of motion studies considering complaints of pain with and without weight bearing and resistance in passive and active range of motion as well as during flare-ups. The Board found that even when considering these factors, the Veteran's functional losses did not equate to marked limited ankle motion.

Claimed conditions
Left ankle disability
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
10%
Decision date
November 22, 2019
Citation
19188358

Veterans Law Judge

NEIL T. WERNER

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 19188358.

What this means for you

A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.

What you can do next

Related decisions

Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.

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.