The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left below the knee amputation as secondary to his service-connected disability of an old fracture, left lower tibia and ankle with mal-alignment and eversion of foot, and also denied his claim for an increased evaluation for residuals of an old fracture, left lower tibia and ankle. The Board found that there was no reasonable possibility that the veteran's amputation was related to service or his service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish a direct link between the veteran's service-connected disability and his current condition, nor could it be determined if the amputation was due to exposure to any specific agent or event during service.
- Claimed conditions
- left below the knee amputation, old fracture, left lower tibia and ankle
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 5, 2003
- Citation
- 0308454
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 0308454.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claims for urinary frequency disability and residuals of a cholecystectomy were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
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