The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed disability related to bilateral ankle strain, and his service-connected left forearm, chest, and upper abdomen scars do not warrant an initial compensable rating. The Veteran's request for withdrawal of his appeal on the issue of entitlement to an initial rating greater than 30 percent prior to March 17, 2014, and greater than 60 percent thereafter, for arteriosclerotic heart disease and ischemic heart disease has been granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints or diagnoses related to bilateral ankle strain. The VA examination reports did not find any current disability related to this condition. For the left forearm, chest, and upper abdomen scars, the VA examinations found no compensable disability.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 7, 2015
- Citation
- 1533744
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 1533744.
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 Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, with obesity serving as an intermediary step.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right shoulder strain, bilateral ankle strain, acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and back strain have been dismissed without prejudice due to the Veteran's request to withdraw these issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the decision on appeal.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral ankle strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis but denied service connection for a left shoulder disability.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.