The appeal seeking revision of the March 1999 rating decision that denied entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a right shoulder disability is denied. The March 1999 rating decision, which awarded an initial noncompensable (zero percent) rating for the service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, is revised to reflect an award of an initial rating of 10 percent for a right ankle disability.
The deciding factor: The RO assigned a 10% rating based on the minimum compensable rating provided under the rating schedule for the Shoulder and Arm, which was warranted given the Veteran's range of motion. The Court held in Sowers v. McDonald that painful motion must be rated under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Impingement Syndrome Post Acromioplasty, Degenerative Arthritis of Right Ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26008120
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 A26008120.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's mood disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his degenerative arthritis of the right ankle is rated at 20 percent. The appeal for a higher rating for the mood disorder is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder and right ankle disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing right ankle fracture did not worsen during service, and his current arthritis is not related to military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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