The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the feet, ankles and knees as there is no competent evidence to support a current diagnosis or etiology of such conditions. The claim for SMC was also denied.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing that the Veteran currently has diagnosed foot, ankle, or knee arthritis, nor any credible lay assertions supporting this claim.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the feet, arthritis of the ankles, arthritis of the knees
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 27, 2013
- Citation
- 1339153
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 1339153.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the feet and plantar fasciitis to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
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