The Board found that neither the left hand degenerative changes nor the right hip degenerative joint disease are directly related to service, and denied both claims as secondary to service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not find any direct relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his period of service or a service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Left hand degenerative changes, Right hip degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2013
- Citation
- 1313166
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 1313166.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted increased ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome, left and right ankle disabilities but remanded the claims for other joint conditions due to insufficient evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly assess the Veteran's hip disabilities, and thus remands the claims for further development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability with associated bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right hip disability is related to his in-service herbicide exposure, specifically Agent Orange.
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