The Board found that the Veteran's knee and shoulder disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service, are not secondary to other service-connected disability, and denied both claims.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of any acute or identifiable injury or disease of the right shoulder or either knee at any time during or for decades following service separation. The Veteran did not seek treatment for his knees until around the time of his claim in 2007.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knee degenerative joint disease, postoperative right shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 5, 2009
- Citation
- 0937770
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 0937770.
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 service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His TDIU is granted, but his special monthly compensation at the housebound rate is denied due to the presence of additional service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for various conditions was dismissed as there was no decision in the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) system to appeal at the time of the request.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted SMC based on aid and attendance, but denied SMC based on housebound status. The Veteran's specially adapted housing claim was also granted, while his claims for a special home adaptation grant and an allowance for an automobile or other conveyance were denied.
- Partly granted
The veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance. The claim for SMC at the housebound rate is dismissed.
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.