The Board found that the preponderance of the competent medical and other evidence of record is against a finding that the Veteran's left knee disorder is causally related to active service, to include as secondary to his service-connected right knee disorder.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners stated they could not find any literature relating chondromalacia to overuse or altered use of the joint and noted normal gait and X-rays that did not show degenerative changes expected with overuse or overload of the left knee.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 9, 2009
- Citation
- 0908746
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, migraines, left and right knee disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea due to missing military records and inadequate examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders to obtain a new examination that adequately addresses all pertinent evidence of record.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was dismissed due to a untimely notice of disagreement. The left knee disorder claim is remanded for further action.
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.