The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of hands, shoulders, knees, ankles, and cervical spine, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA medical records did not show any in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the current arthritis diagnoses. The Board also noted that there was no credible evidence of a POW status during World War II which would trigger special presumptions for certain diseases.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of hands, arthritis of shoulders, arthritis of knees, arthritis of cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 12, 2002
- Citation
- 0209660
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 0209660.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed as withdrawn during a hearing. The Board has also remanded several issues for further examination and review.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, hypertension, and TDIU due to potential exposure to herbicide agents and lead paint during service. Additional development is needed to verify these exposures.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination. The issues include bulging discs, sleep apnea, arthritis of hands and knees, hypertension, and diabetic neuropathy.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected amputation of the distal phalanx of the fifth digit and crush injury of the fourth digit of the left hand is found to be aggravated by his arthritis in the left hand, which is granted as secondary to this service-connected condition.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.