The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of both knees and arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease, status-post myocardial infarction with coronary artery bypass grafting. Service connection was denied for hiatal hernia with reflux and renal cyst of the left kidney.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner provided a competent opinion linking current knee and heart disabilities to service, while the evidence did not support a link between the veteran's current hiatal hernia or renal cyst and service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of Both Knees, Hiatal Hernia with Reflux, Arteriosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease, Status-Post Myocardial Infarction with Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Renal Cyst of the Left Kidney
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2006
- Citation
- 0614917
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,582 · Granted: 32% (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 0614917.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, sciatic radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, intervertebral disc syndrome (claimed as low back condition), scars, degenerative joint disease of both knees, degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, hypertension, tinnitus, bilateral nasal pinquecula with dry eyes, hernia, ear pain, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities alone are at least in equipoise as to whether he is unable to obtain or maintain such employment.
- Denied
The Veteran's medical conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance of another person or being housebound.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected conditions were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, degenerative joint disease of both knees, and a thyroid disorder. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.
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