The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral ankle condition, finding that there was no nexus between his current disability and his military service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not have any documented treatment or complaints related to his ankles during service, and that the earliest evidence of his ankle condition came years after he left active duty.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's assertions about an injury in service were inconsistent with the contemporaneous records and lack of medical documentation. The absence of a physical profile and treatment for many years post-service also weighed against the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral ankle condition, degenerative changes (arthritis) of the tarsometatarsal compartment, calcaneal spurs
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 30, 2022
- Citation
- 22018849
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 22018849.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate development of evidence, specifically failing to provide a VA examination or medical opinion regarding his claimed bilateral ankle, knee, low back, and left shoulder conditions. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further action.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's previously denied claim for bilateral ankle condition is dismissed.,New evidence supports the readjudication of claims for service connection for right knee, bilateral foot, and lumbosacral strain conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn all pending appeals, including those related to service connection for various conditions and a rating for migraines and erectile dysfunction.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee and ankle conditions, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to her in-service injuries.
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