The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease affecting the hips, neck, and knees, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during active duty or within one year post-service.
The deciding factor: The veteran's degenerative joint disease did not manifest during his first period of active duty and is presumed to have existed prior to service. The condition also did not increase in severity during his second period of active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the hips, Degenerative joint disease of the neck, Degenerative joint disease of the knees
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 2, 2003
- Citation
- 0311256
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,710 · Granted: 15% (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 0311256.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the neck and back to obtain a new VA examination and opinion addressing whether these disabilities are related to the Veteran's service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for SMC based on aid and attendance, finding that prior to November 5, 2018, he did not require regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the appeals for lumbar strain, TBI, anxiety disorder, degenerative joint disease of the knees, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and mood disorder. The PTSD appeal is remanded due to lack of verification of a reported in-service stressor involving rape.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the neck, back, left upper arm joint, left knee, and right knee. The VA examiners found no evidence of in-service injury or illness that caused these conditions.,There is no medical record showing any chronic condition related to the Veteran's military service.
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