The Board has granted service connection for post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the right knee, right clavicle, and cervical spine based on the presumption applicable in the case of former POWs.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the veteran's current arthritic changes were incurred while on active duty due to his status as a former POW.
- Claimed conditions
- Right knee, Right clavicle, Cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2003
- Citation
- 0301142
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,642 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0301142.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether his surgeries and post-surgical care resulted in additional disabilities, as well as an evaluation of fault on VA's part.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right knee disability and restoration of previous ratings for left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities of right and left knee, right and left foot, and thoracolumbar spine are not service-connected as they were not shown to be incurred or aggravated during his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received with respect to all the service connection claims on appeal. The claims are being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA examinations and medical opinions to determine the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.
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