The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative joint disease, PTSD, and left great toe disability were denied. The Board found that the arthritis was not incurred in or aggravated by service, while the PTSD and left great toe disability met the criteria for a 50% rating before October 28, 2010.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not support a finding of service connection for the degenerative joint disease due to lack of evidence linking it to service. The Veteran's PTSD was found to meet the criteria for a 50% rating prior to October 28, 2010, but no higher as he received the maximum possible rating.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease (i.e., arthritis) of the knees, hips, lumbar spine, cervical spine, shoulders, and hands, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), left great toe disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 9, 2014
- Citation
- 1401009
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 1401009.
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
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The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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