The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the hips, hands, and knees. The veteran's panic disorder with agoraphobia is considered a separate diagnosis from his PTSD. A VA examination will be conducted to assess the severity of the right knee disability.
The deciding factor: The new evidence includes x-ray studies showing current degenerative changes in multiple joints, raising a reasonable possibility of service connection for these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the hips, degenerative joint disease of the hands, degenerative joint disease of the knees
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2007
- Citation
- 0732029
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 0732029.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for bilateral knee disabilities due to a lack of range of motion testing in weight-bearing. The TDIU claim is granted prior to October 13, 2014.
- Partly granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and allergies, but denied reopening of the claims for degenerative joint disease of the knees and depression. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of back condition, cervical spine condition, and allergies.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his service-connected Reiter’s syndrome and its residuals, including chronic joint symptoms and non-orthopedic conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable, and thus grants a TDIU effective November 14, 2008.
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