The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a left ankle injury is granted, as the evidence is in equipoise that his current condition is related to his in-service ankle sprain. The issue regarding a left foot condition remains pending.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions are based on the lack of documented treatment between service and the appeal period, but the Veteran's lay statements support continuity of symptoms since service.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a left ankle injury, left ankle pain, chronic left ankle sprain, mild degenerative changes with calcaneal bone spur
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2016
- Citation
- 1601790
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 1601790.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions including hypoglycemia, sinusitis, left foot pes planus, right foot pes planus, right foot plantar fasciitis, left ankle pain, left hip osteoarthritis, left knee sprain, bradycardia, dry eye, hernia, hypercholesterolemia, and bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle pain due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ should have provided a VA examination/medical opinion prior to denying the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error that occurred prior to the initial decision. The Veteran's service-connected left tibia stress fracture is associated with residual disabilities of his left foot, knee, and ankle.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for broken jaw/TMJ, motion sickness, right knee pain, right shin pain, left ankle pain, bilateral pes planus, and left buttock pain as there is no evidence of current disabilities.
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