The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left Achilles tendonitis and an initial compensable rating for right Achilles tendonitis, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims. The claim for a higher disability rating for left knee surgical scars was also denied.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support the Veteran’s assertions regarding his in-service injuries or their current manifestations, leading to denial of service connection and increased ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- left Achilles tendonitis, right Achilles tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 4, 2015
- Citation
- 1538047
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1538047.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left Achilles tendonitis and residual scars subsequent to left Achilles tendon repair were denied by the Board. The decision is binding only with respect to these specific matters.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to a TDIU and an increased evaluation for left Achilles tendonitis. The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered her unable to work during certain periods, but further review is needed.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The effective dates for earlier connection claims remain denied.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
Your appeals for service connection and increased rating were not timely filed, so your attempts to appeal have been dismissed.
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.