The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, claimed as a residual of frostbite during service, was not incurred or aggravated by service and cannot be presumed to have been incurred in service. The claim is therefore denied.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing onset of arthritis during service or within one year after discharge, and the VA examiner found no objective findings supporting a cold injury that could have caused current degenerative joint disease.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2006
- Citation
- 0639425
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 0639425.
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 Veteran's right foot disability and acquired psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, are granted as service-connected.
- Granted
The Veteran's knee disabilities have been rated based on their effects on his ability to perform activities of daily living, with a 30 percent rating for post-operative residuals and a 40 percent rating for limited extension. A separate 10 percent rating has also been granted for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left and right feet has been granted with a rating of 20 percent each. However, his request for TDIU remains pending as it was not initially addressed by the AOJ.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease, is at least as likely as not related to her military service. The claim for service connection is therefore granted.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.