The Veteran's right ankle arthritis with chronic instability is granted a 20 percent rating, the maximum allowed. Service connection for his left knee and right knee degenerative arthritis, as well as his bilateral hip osteoarthritis, are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations relied on inaccurate factual bases when determining that the service-connected ankle disabilities did not cause gait problems or abnormal gait. New medical opinions are required to clarify these issues.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle arthritis with chronic instability, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, right hip osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 3, 2023
- Citation
- A23027464
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 A23027464.
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 Board has granted service connection for right knee disability, left knee arthritis, and bilateral knee instability. The decision is based on the Veteran's competent and credible lay evidence regarding the onset of symptoms in service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis is dismissed. The claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and other conditions are granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and shin splints due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination. The case is now pending with a request for a new opinion.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
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