The Veteran's bilateral ankle and hip disabilities were denied as they did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, continuity of symptomatology was not established, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s degenerative joint disease of both ankles and hips did not meet the criteria for direct service connection as they were not shown to have manifested within a presumptive period or due to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The evidence also failed to establish continuity of symptomatology.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hip disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18105211
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 18105211.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a neurological examination to determine if any diagnosed radiculopathy or other neurological disability affecting the lower extremities was caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral ankle disability as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee and low back disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection for migraines, a left shoulder disability, a right elbow disability, a left wrist disability, and a bilateral ankle disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination opinions and a failure to provide a VA examination for sleep apnea.
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