The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his chronic left and right ankle strains have been denied as the evidence does not show that they meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not find any ankylosis, malunion of os calcis or astragalus, or astragalectomy. The Veteran's range of motion was within normal limits with no significant functional loss due to pain or other factors during flare-ups or repetitive use.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic left ankle strain, Chronic right ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2024
- Citation
- 24011946
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 24011946.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examination reports and failure to address possible evidence of left knee instability.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of both arms and legs, finding that his conditions did not meet the criteria for SMC(k), SMC(l), or any other applicable rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's left ankle disability is characterized by moderate limitation of motion during the appeal period, and he has had a 10 percent rating for the entire appeals period. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected chronic left ankle strain.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle disorders have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.
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