The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the knees and hips are not well grounded as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound to the left leg.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current degenerative joint diseases (knees and hips) to his service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound to the left leg.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the left knee, Degenerative joint disease of the right knee, Degenerative joint disease of the left hip, Degenerative joint disease of the right hip
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 8, 2000
- Citation
- 0006244
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 0006244.
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 remands the claims for further development to ensure that the severity of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is accurately assessed without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right hip, left hip, and left shoulder, as well as PTSD. The claim for a higher rating for the right knee scar was denied.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, effective December 8, 2025.
- Granted
The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's degenerative spondylosis at L5-S1, left and right shoulder disabilities, left and right knee disabilities, and depressive disorder.
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