The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right ankle sprain and degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis and bulging disc L4-L5, but remanded service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on the ranges of motion and other factors considered by the Board.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle sprain, Degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis and bulging disc L4-L5, claimed as range of motion in back, Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25056581
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.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for various disabilities and granted earlier effective dates for service connection of scars, but denied an earlier effective date for individual unemployability.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals at a December 2024 Board hearing. The remaining claims are being remanded for further development.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal for failure to timely file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) with the July 2024 rating decision.
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