The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations for chronic bilateral ankle sprains, migraine headaches, right and left bunionectomies, and post-operative residuals of small bowel resection. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.
The deciding factor: The medical records did not show any current diagnoses related to the claimed conditions, and there was no competent evidence linking them to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic bilateral ankle sprains, Migraine headaches, Varicose veins, Right bunionectomy, Left bunionectomy, Post-operative residuals of small bowel resection
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 14, 2003
- Citation
- 0320168
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 0320168.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates of November 5, 2021, for the grants of service connection and eligibility for DEA benefits.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the Appellant during its pendency.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and migraine headaches, but remanded the claims for a low back disability and related radiculopathies.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for a facial injury, head injury, and left thumb injury as there was no evidence of current disability or functional impairment. The claims for GERD, squamous mucosa, migraine headaches, and hypertension were remanded for further development.
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