The Board denied service connection for both the low back and left ankle injuries, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or relationship to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found insufficient medical evidence to support a nexus between the claimed disabilities and service.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of low back injury, residuals of left ankle injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23025461
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23025461.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for back disability, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and residuals of left ankle injury.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including residuals of a rib injury, left ankle injury, lower extremity sciatica, hypertension, blurred vision, chest pain, and kidney disease, as there was no current diagnosis or evidence of related functional impairment.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of residuals of left ankle injury and residuals of left shoulder rotator cuff injury due to insufficient medical opinions addressing continuity of symptoms.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for a VA opinion to determine if the Veteran's current left ankle conditions are related to service, specifically whether they were caused or aggravated by an in-service injury.
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