The Board granted a disability rating of 20 percent for both the left and right ankle disabilities, as the Veteran's symptoms more nearly approximated marked limitation of motion.
The deciding factor: The January 2025 VA examiner found evidence of pain on weight-bearing, active motion, rest/ non-movement, non-weight-bearing, passive motion, which resulted in functional loss. The Veteran reported constant dull aching pain and sharp stabbing pain with prolonged weight bearing, standing, or walking.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Ankle Strain, Right Ankle Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- 25007861
Veterans Law Judge
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 25007861.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on several conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeals.,The Board has not assigned a specific rating or effective date as the claims are being remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU from October 12, 2016 to November 12, 2018 and from January 1, 2019 to July 22, 2019 due to service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance at the 38 U.S.C. � 1114(n 1/2) rate, but no higher, prior to January 25, 2019 and from March 1, 2019, due to his service-connected depressive disorder alone causing him to be in need of regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left ankle disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic condition and noting the lack of credible lay statements regarding continuous symptoms since service.
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