The Board found that the evidence submitted since the previous denials was not new and material, thus denying both claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ankle disability and a psychiatric disability (claimed as bipolar disorder).
The deciding factor: The additional evidence did not provide competent medical evidence linking current chronic disabilities to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral ankle disability, Psychiatric disability (claimed as bipolar disorder)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2009
- Citation
- 0901708
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 remands several issues for further development, including service connection claims and an earlier effective date claim.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, as well as entitlement to a TDIU prior to September 17, 2014.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension and remanded claims related to a low back disability, bilateral shoulder impingement syndrome, and other conditions due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral shoulder disability, back disability, and tinnitus as the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to in-service events.
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