The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle disability and PTSD, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for bilateral ankle disability. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence linking the current disabilities to service or a service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that while the Veteran had in-service injuries to his ankles, he did not have a chronic disability related to those injuries. Additionally, the Board concluded that the Veteran's current bilateral ankle disability is more likely congenital and not caused by his back strain. For PTSD, the Board found insufficient evidence linking the claimed stressor to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral ankle disability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2018
- Citation
- 1812227
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 1812227.
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 case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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