The Veteran's increased rating claim for her right ankle disability is denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis, and the current 20% rating is the maximum allowed under the applicable diagnostic code.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show ankylosis of the right ankle, which would warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle osteochondritis dissecans, chronic right ankle sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 12, 2022
- Citation
- 22001645
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 281 · Granted: 32% (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 22001645.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a right hip strain, migraine and tension headaches, and chronic right ankle sprain as they require additional evidence through supplemental opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right ankle osteochondritis dissecans and denied an initial compensable rating for left knee disability based on limitation of extension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for right shoulder rotator cuff tendinosis and arthralgia, in excess of 10 percent for left knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis, in excess of 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis, and in excess of 20 percent for chronic right ankle sprain to obtain additional medical opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right elbow, right ankle, and depressive disorder and chronic pain syndrome.
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