The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right thumb disorder related to his service. However, he is granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of both left and right knees as these conditions are considered direct service-connected based on their onset within one year of service.
The deciding factor: Service records show no residuals from the 1979 snake bite or any current right thumb disorder. The Veteran's bilateral knee disorders, however, have been shown to be related to his military service and are presumed to have manifested during the applicable presumptive period.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Thumb Disorder, Degenerative Joint Disease of Left Knee with Internal Derangement, Degenerative Joint Disease of Right Knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2013
- Citation
- 1340479
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 1340479.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's right knee condition is rated at 20 percent disabling, effective August 31, 2022.,The Veteran's scars are currently rated at 20 percent disabling, also effective August 31, 2022.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition, finding that it is secondary to her service-connected left knee disability. The evidence shows that the Veteran injured both knees in 1999 and continued to experience pain despite treatment.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder and cannabis use was granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent. Other service connection claims were denied or remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a disability rating of 70 percent, effective October 17, 2017. Service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease of Right Knee and Left Knee is also granted.
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