The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis of multiple joints, including hips, knees and lumbar spine, was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that arthritis is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examination and medical opinions did not find any link between the veteran's current arthritis and his service or a service-connected disability, including bilateral pes planus or right third toe disability.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of multiple joints, hip arthritis, knee arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2006
- Citation
- 0602750
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for an opinion addressing the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis, without considering the beneficial effects of medication.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for cervical spine arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, traumatic brain injury (TBI), seizure disorder, and erectile dysfunction has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for skin rash, hand/knuckles disability, shoulder strain, and pes planus. The claims for gastro issues, right knee strain, knee arthritis, back problems as secondary to knee, and ankle condition were remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine arthritis and degenerative disc disease, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
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