The Board found that the veteran's polyarthritis was not caused by VA medical treatment, including his use of Gemfibrozil. The bilateral hip degenerative joint disease with bilateral total hip replacements, right knee degenerative joint disease, and lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease were also determined to be unrelated to VA treatment.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence showed that the veteran's polyarthritis was caused by his use of Gemfibrozil, but it resolved with no permanent residuals. The bilateral hip degenerative joint disease and other conditions were not found to be related to VA medical treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- Polyarthritis, Bilateral hip degenerative joint disease with bilateral total hip replacements, Degenerative joint disease of the right knee, Degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2000
- Citation
- 0103159
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 0103159.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee based on the evidence showing limitation of flexion to 135 degrees and extension to 5 degrees, which did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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