The Board denied service connection for left ankle disability and left knee osteoarthritis, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty or to his service-connected right knee and ankle disabilities.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show a link between the Veteran's current left ankle and knee conditions and his active duty service or any service-connected disability. The Board found that the Veteran is not competent to identify the etiology of these disorders, and the weight of the medical evidence is against a finding that they are related to his time in service.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle disability, left knee osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2023
- Citation
- 23000587
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection, higher ratings, and earlier effective dates, as well as dismissed his claim for a TDIU.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, back disability, and other conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.
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