The Board denied service connection for both the claimed right ankle injury and right knee problems, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no link between the current right ankle condition and service due to lack of continuity of symptomatology. The right knee problems were not linked to the right ankle injury as secondary service connection is not granted when the underlying condition is not established.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, degenerative joint disease of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19163174
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 19163174.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, left shoulder bicipital tendon tear, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis with facet arthropathy and lumbosacral strain, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, left and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (to include iliotibial band syndrome), and chronic right wrist sprain were denied. The Board also granted an effective date of July 7, 2023 for the award of increased ratings.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, dismissing or denying all appeals.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, left foot bone spur, left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain as the evidence did not support a finding of an in-service incurrence or a causal relationship between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, finding that the August 13, 2024 intent to file a claim was not received within one year of the October 2022 rating decision.
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