The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left ankle sprain, an increased disability rating for IBS and colitis, and a higher initial disability rating for chronic maxillary sinusitis.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the current left ankle instability, plantar fasciitis, and residuals of peroneal tenosynovitis were not caused by or related to her in-service left ankle sprain.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Ankle Sprain, Pes Planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2015
- Citation
- 1544180
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 1544180.
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 claim for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus was denied as the evidence did not warrant a higher rating.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD, sleep apnea, hypertension, right MCA stroke with left-sided hemiplegia and major neurocognitive impairment, headaches, left ankle sprain, cervical sprain, and lumbar disc disease are all granted as secondary to service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's pes planus is rated at 30 percent, the highest rating available for unilateral pes planus.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, including missing service treatment records and personnel records. The Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ADT) or inactive duty for training (IDT) need to be verified, and additional medical opinions are required based on these records.
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