The veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of multiple joints are denied.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence relating any diagnosed joint conditions to the veteran's periods of active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis of the right wrist, Arthritis of the left wrist, Arthritis of the right hand, Arthritis of the left hand, Arthritis of the right elbow, Arthritis of the left shoulder, Arthritis of the cervical spine, Arthritis of the thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2004
- Citation
- 0432211
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 0432211.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the period on appeal, as the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to maintain gainful employment.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart disease including myocarditis and pericarditis, hypertension, and pancreatitis as secondary to alcoholism due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. Service connection was also granted for left ear hearing loss and arthritis of the left hand on a direct basis.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability was reopened, and a 20 percent rating was granted for the cervical spine condition effective July 18, 2021.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for arthritis of the right and left hands, finding that the current condition is at least as likely as not etiologically linked to the Veteran's operation of heavy machinery during active military service.
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