The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic low back, right knee, and right ankle disorders due to a lack of evidence showing continuity of symptomatology or a medical nexus between his current conditions and active duty service.,There is no credible evidence supporting the Veteran's assertions of continued symptoms since service. The separation examination was normal, and post-service records do not show treatment for these conditions until many years after discharge.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a direct link between the Veteran's current low back, right knee, and right ankle disorders and his active duty service. The separation examination did not reveal any chronic complaints related to these conditions, and post-service records showed no clinical manifestations of arthritis or other chronic conditions until many years after discharge.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Low Back Disorder, Chronic Right Knee Disorder, Chronic Right Ankle Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0941022
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 0941022.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been granted. Service connection is established for PFB, but not earlier than February 7, 2022. GERD remains rated at 10 percent. The other conditions remain denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issues of an initial compensable rating for PFB, service connection for a chronic low back disorder, service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle, service connection for chronic cardiovascular disease, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD and service connection for OSA, chronic left knee disorder, and chronic right knee disorder have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for PTSD or service connection for any of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board has reopened the service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and bilateral knee disorders due to new evidence received after a previous denial. However, the claims are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to active service.
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