The Veteran's right ankle strain is rated at 10% and not entitled to a higher rating.,There is no evidence of a back disorder related to service, and the claim for service connection is denied.,Service connection has been granted for the right shoulder disorder, but it was not incurred in or caused by service.,The Veteran's right knee and left knee disorders are not considered to be related to service.,There is no evidence of a back disorder related to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examination report does not support the need for a higher rating based on functional impairment during flare-ups, as the degree of limited motion does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under DC 5271.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle strain, Back disorder, Right shoulder disorder (shoulder strain, bicipital tendonitis, glenohumeral joint dislocation), Right knee disorder (knee strain, patellofemoral pain syndrome), Left knee disorder (knee strain, patellofemoral pain syndrome)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21026883
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 21026883.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine strain, right wrist sprain, right knee strain, left knee strain, and right ankle strain. The disabilities are all deemed to have begun during the Veteran's active duty.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, right ankle strain, and mild right foot retrocalcaneal spur as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the current disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right ankle strain and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ankle strain. The claim will be returned for further development.
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