The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic left ankle strain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on moderate limitation of motion.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence to support a higher rating as the Veteran's left ankle disability was most appropriately rated as 10 percent disabling under DC 5271 due to moderate limitation of motion.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic left ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25025026
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,088 · Granted: 33% (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 A25025026.
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 issues of entitlement to service connection for chronic right and left ankle strain due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically the failure to obtain an adequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's cervical spine strain and hypothyroidism, as the previous VA examinations were inadequate.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he has maintained employment during the appeal period and his disabilities have allowed him to contribute positively through volunteer work.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic left ankle strain and shortening of the left leg are being remanded due to a need for additional examination.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.