The Veteran's right ankle degenerative arthritis is rated at a maximum of 20 percent. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was granted prior to August 15, 2013. The Veteran's financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only claim was denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right ankle degenerative arthritis is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5271. The TDIU was granted based on his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment. The financial assistance claim for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only was denied as he does not meet the criteria for loss of use of one or both feet.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle degenerative arthritis, PTSD, headaches, residuals of a head injury, sinusitis, a nasal disorder, back disability, disabilities of the right knee and ankle, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20071975
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 remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding VA's failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
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