The Board found that the evidence submitted since the previous denial did not provide a medical nexus linking the veteran's left ankle disorder to his active service, and therefore denied reopening of the claim.
The deciding factor: The new evidence was not material as it did not provide a medical opinion relating the veteran's current left ankle condition to his in-service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2008
- Citation
- 0812917
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 27, 2023, for the award of service connection for left ankle osteoarthritis and remanded a claim for a higher disability evaluation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis and remanded the other claims for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance beginning November 19, 2015.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for increased ratings for the Veteran's bilateral ankle and right knee disabilities to obtain a medical opinion that discounts any ameliorative effects of medication.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.