The Veteran's application to reopen a claim for service connection of his right ankle condition was denied. The claim for left ankle condition is also denied. Service connection and increased disability evaluations are denied for mechanical thoracolumbar strain and left wrist tendinitis, respectively.,Service connection cannot be established as there is no evidence of current or past left ankle conditions. For the right ankle condition, while the Veteran has reported pain, there is insufficient evidence to establish a current diagnosis.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence does not support the presence of a currently diagnosed right ankle condition and thus service connection cannot be established.,There is no medical evidence showing a current left ankle disability. The Veteran's STRs only show complaints of swelling and pain, which are insufficient to establish a present disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle condition, Left ankle condition, Mechanical thoracolumbar strain, Left wrist tendinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20042065
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 20042065.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has prevented him from securing and maintaining gainful employment throughout the appeal period, leading to a grant of TDIU. The issue of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was withdrawn by the appellant.
- Granted
The Veteran's right ankle condition is granted a 10 percent disability rating, and his service-connected headaches are granted as secondary to his TBI.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral knee conditions, and bilateral hearing loss due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's right ankle condition is granted, but his bilateral pes planus and bilateral knee conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of his left shoulder condition due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his current conditions and military service, as well as the ameliorative effects of medication on his left shoulder disability. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to address these issues.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.