The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for left ankle strain and earlier effective dates of August 24, 1998 for service connection of hammertoes in the feet. Other claims were denied.
The deciding factor: There was an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether the Veteran had marked limitation of motion in his left ankle, leading to a grant of the maximum rating under applicable criteria. The evidence did not support higher ratings for other disabilities or earlier effective dates beyond those granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of left ankle strain, Right ankle osteoarthritis, Bilateral metatarsalgia, Left foot hammertoes, Right foot hammertoes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25053082
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with IVDS and bilateral foot conditions, prevented him from securing and maintaining gainful employment from August 31, 2010, to January 30, 2011.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral metatarsalgia, right knee arthritis, tinnitus, left knee pain, lumbar spine pain, right hip pain, and left hip pain based on credible lay evidence of in-service onset and continuous symptoms.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, ankle instability, bilateral pes planus/flat feet, left foot hammertoes, right foot hammertoes, left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, right hip pain, and left hip pain as there was no evidence that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active-duty service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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