The Veteran's arthritis of the lumbar spine, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet was not manifested in service or within one year postservice. The Board finds no evidence to support a nexus between his service-connected diabetes mellitus and his claimed disabilities.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence showing a direct relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and his diagnosed arthritis of multiple joints, nor any evidence suggesting that the arthritis became manifest in service or within one year postservice.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the lumbar spine, arthritis of the shoulders, arthritis of the hips, arthritis of the knees, arthritis of the ankles, arthritis of the feet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2010
- Citation
- 1007648
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1007648.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, unspecified psychosis, arthritis of the lumbar spine, degenerative disc disease, multilevel spinal stenosis, and arthritis of the cervical spine and degenerative disc disease. The diagnoses are linked to in-service physical assaults.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been presented to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for arthritis of the knees, elbows, and hands. The matter is being remanded for further consideration on a secondary basis due to the Veteran's assertions regarding his hips locking and falling into foxholes.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining service records and a need for a VA examination to determine if any current foot disorders are related to service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to a lack of adequate explanation in the VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran requires personal care services based on the criteria listed in 38 U.S.C. § 1720G(a)(2)(C) and 38 C.F.R. § 71.20(a)(3).
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