The Veteran's request for a higher disability rating for her right ankle disability is granted, and she is awarded TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. Her right knee disability remains remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s right ankle disability meets the criteria for a 20% disability rating based on marked limitation of motion. The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted as her combined disability rating exceeds 70%, meeting the eligibility requirements under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle osteoarthritis, Osteoarthritis of right knee (right knee disability), Ischemic necrosis of lateral femoral condyle, Torn lateral meniscus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20008524
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 20008524.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right knee instability is granted, with a 30 percent rating. The claims for increased ratings for right knee osteoarthritis (flexion) and left hip strain, osteoarthritis and bursitis based on painful motion are denied. The claim for an increased rating for right ankle osteoarthritis is also denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for left ankle strain and earlier effective dates of August 24, 1998 for service connection of hammertoes in the feet. Other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depression, recurrent moderately severe (previously rated as adjustment disorder with depressed mood), is granted a 70 percent disability rating for the period prior to January 17, 2020. For the period beginning from January 17, 2020, his major depression is granted a 100 percent disability rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's torn lateral meniscus, degenerative joint disease, chondromalacia, and right knee status post ACL tear and osteotomy have been rated at 10 percent since January 31, 2011. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to limited flexion of the knee.
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