The Veteran's increased rating claims for posttraumatic arthritis of the left and right knees have been denied as there is no evidence that the disabilities are service-connected or related to any exposure basis.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not establish a direct link between the knee disabilities and military service, nor do they indicate any connection with an exposure basis such as burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War Syndrome, etc. The diagnoses are attributed to degenerative changes and internal derangement of the joints.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic arthritis of the left knee, Posttraumatic arthritis of the right knee, Left ankle disability, Right ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2010
- Citation
- 1007627
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 1007627.
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 conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a neck disability, a left knee disability, and a right ankle disability due to the need for VA examinations.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, right knee, right hand, left knee, right ankle, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury due to untimely appeals or lack of evidence supporting current disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA's obligation to obtain relevant records from the Social Security Administration.
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.