The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and shoulder disorders, as well as an initial compensable rating for residuals of a fracture of the left fifth toe, are denied due to lack of current evidence supporting these conditions.
The deciding factor: There is no current medical evidence of record indicating the presence of a left ankle or left shoulder disorder. The veteran's service records show only one incident where he reported an injury to his left ankle during service in 1992, but post-service medical records do not confirm any ongoing disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ankle disorder, Left shoulder disorder, Residuals of fracture of the left fifth toe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2003
- Citation
- 0311857
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 0311857.
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 is remanding the claims for service connection due to a regulatory duty to assist error.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, left foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), right foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a left ankle disorder and assigned initial ratings of 40 percent, but no higher, for right upper extremity radiculopathy and 30 percent, but no higher, for left upper extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a seizure disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder as additional evidence is needed.
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