The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for avascular necrosis, finding that there was no direct or presumptive link to his military service and concluding that the condition did not meet the criteria for a Gulf War Syndrome diagnosis.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish a causal connection between the current disability of avascular necrosis and service, including the Gulf War exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- avascular necrosis, multiple joints
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2003
- Citation
- 0308609
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,467 · Granted: 18% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0308609.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Dismissed
Your right hip disability, diagnosed as avascular necrosis and degenerative arthritis, has been granted service connection in a separate Board decision. This appeal is dismissed because the issue of your right hip disability was already resolved.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis, left hip, limitation of adduction is dismissed. From August 24, 2019, the Veteran's appeals for ratings of 10 percent for limitation of flexion and extension are granted.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, prostate cancer, hypertension, bronchial asthma with chronic bronchitis, and CAD and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, an initial 10 percent disability rating was granted for hypertension.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further action due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection and rating for multiple joint disabilities, as well as hearing loss. Service connection for COPD is also being remanded.
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