The Veteran's right ankle disability was previously rated at 10 percent prior to January 26, 2012 and from March 1, 2012 to January 31, 2018. From April 1, 2018 to June 14, 2018, the Veteran was rated at 10 percent. Since June 15, 2018, he has been rated at 20 percent.,The Board found that a higher rating for the right ankle disability is not warranted prior to January 26, 2012 or from April 1, 2018 to June 14, 2018. However, from March 1, 2012 to January 31, 2018, a rating of 30 percent is granted due to ankylosis at plantar flexion and dorsiflexion.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right ankle disability was rated based on the criteria for limited motion of the ankle (Diagnostic Code 5271). The Board found that prior to January 26, 2012 and from April 1, 2018 to June 14, 2018, the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. However, from March 1, 2012 to January 31, 2018, ankylosis was noted, which warranted a 30 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic right ankle sprain with mild degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 26, 2023
- Citation
- 23024278
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 23024278.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 appeal for a current ankle examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability.
- Denied
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- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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