The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability. After considering all of the evidence, including private treatment records and VA examination reports, the Board finds that there is equipoise as to whether the current left ankle osteoarthritis is related to military service. Therefore, the claim is granted.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran had a history of left ankle injury in service, but his current left ankle osteoarthritis is not definitively linked to this in-service injury due to conflicting medical opinions and the natural progression of aging. However, given the equipoise between positive and negative nexus opinions, the benefit of doubt rule applies.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 3, 2013
- Citation
- 1327999
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 1327999.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a left 5th metatarsal fracture, as well as secondary service connection for left foot and ankle osteoarthritis to the same condition. The decision is based on evidence that supports these claims.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left ankle osteoarthritis, right ankle osteoarthritis, and right foot metatarsalgia.,Service connection is established based on direct evidence of the conditions in question.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance of another, as well as initial disability ratings for his left ankle osteoarthritis and right lower extremity radiculitis, are being remanded due to deficiencies in VA examinations and duty-to-assist errors.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis is denied.
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