The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disorders was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board found that his early post-traumatic arthritis of the knees is causally related to an injury sustained in service.,PTSD has been granted with a 50 percent rating effective December 15, 1997. The veteran's fibromyalgia was initially rated at 10 percent from September 7, 1999 to August 21, 2000 and then increased to 20 percent starting from August 22, 2000.,The veteran's hiatal hernia with acid reflux disease has been rated at 10 percent since October 18, 1999.
The deciding factor: The new and material evidence demonstrated that the veteran sustained an injury to his knees in service which resulted in early post-traumatic arthritis of the knees. The Board found this condition is causally related to the injury he sustained.,PTSD was granted with a 50 percent rating effective December 15, 1997 based on the severity and impact it had on the veteran's occupational and social functioning.,The medical evidence showed that the veteran's fibromyalgia symptoms were nearly constant and refractory to therapy from August 22, 2000 onwards. The condition was rated at 10 percent prior to this date due to its episodic nature.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knee disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fibromyalgia, hiatal hernia with acid reflux disease
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 13, 2002
- Citation
- 0211927
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0211927.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the AOJ did not obtain all necessary opinions regarding whether the Veteran's symptoms are related to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI). The claims for service connection for fatigue, fibromyalgia, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, and sleep disorder are remanded for further development.
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