The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions, but denied reopening of his claim for a compensable evaluation for residuals of a right fifth metatarsal fracture. The Board found that new evidence received since the October 2004 rating decision raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for right and left knee conditions, but did not find service connection due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to military service or any other cause.
The deciding factor: The December 2009 VA examiner found that the Veteran's right and left knee conditions were more likely than not related to his cerebellar ataxia from chronic alcohol use, rather than service or a service-connected right foot disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Condition, Left Knee Condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 3, 2010
- Citation
- 1041281
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 1041281.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee conditions, finding that the Veteran's current knee conditions are more likely than not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee condition is related to his service-connected left knee, back, and bilateral foot disabilities. The decision grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the most recent rating decision on the merits, issued in October 2024, requires correction due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The claim for service connection for a right knee condition is being remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for migraine headaches, right knee condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.
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.