The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and headaches as they were not related to the veteran's active military service. The effective date of October 15, 1996, for the grant of service connection for PTSD was upheld.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the veteran's current back, knee, or headache conditions were related to his in-service experiences and there was no continuity of symptomatology after service separation.
- Claimed conditions
- Back disorder, Bilateral knee disorder, Headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2009
- Citation
- 0900735
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 denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Partly granted
The appeal was denied for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, and several claims were remanded for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with TBI and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches as secondary to PTSD with TBI due to a duty to assist error.
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.