The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral shin splints, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service. The TDIU claim was also denied as the Veteran had not been found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities prior to March 2019.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions were consistent in finding that there was no direct relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral shin splints and his military service, nor did they find any aggravation of his service-connected conditions by his shin splints. The combined disability rating exceeded 70%, but the individual disabilities did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to lack of unemployability prior to March 2019.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral shin splints, lumbosacral strain with IVDS, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee strain, left ankle degenerative joint disease (DJD), right great toe hallux valgus and hallux rigidus, left hip strain, right hip strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- March 9, 2021
- Citation
- 21013555
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 21013555.
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 found the eligibility determination for PCAFC enrollment to be legally inadequate and remanded for a new medical opinion that adequately addresses the criteria for eligibility as set forth in VA regulations.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions due to untimely filing of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, shin splints of the right leg, and shin splints of the left leg are being remanded due to a failure to obtain VA examinations and medical nexus opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of a low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding inadequate medical opinions due to failure to consider all relevant evidence.
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.