The Board found that the veteran's bilateral knee and ankle arthritis are not service connected as they did not manifest within one year of discharge from service, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty. The medical evidence does not support a finding that the disabilities are related to his service-connected residuals of burns to heels, feet, and ankles.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and other medical records do not provide sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the veteran's bilateral knee and ankle arthritis and his service-connected residuals of burns to heels, feet, and ankles.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral ankle arthritis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 4, 2007
- Citation
- 0727709
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 0727709.
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.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right lower leg disability (claimed as right shin splints) due to insufficient evidence linking his current condition to his active service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current right leg disability and that any symptoms he experienced were related to bilateral knee arthritis, which is not presumed by VA law.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the Board Appeal request was not timely filed within one year of the rating decision, and no good cause for extension was presented.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the Board Appeal request was not timely filed within one year of the May 31, 2024 rating decision.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for bilateral hip arthritis, acquired psychiatric disorder, right shoulder arthritis, and bilateral knee arthritis have been granted as they are found to be related to his active-duty service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.