The Board has determined that the Veteran's septic arthritis and infections of the left knee, as well as his celiac disease, are not causally or etiologically related to service, including to his service-connected scar and residuals, laceration of the right forearm.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that it was less likely as not that the Veteran's celiac disease, including any complications, was related to the in-service treatment for staph infection. The opinion indicated that there was no medically plausible mechanism by which an infectious agent could persist over a period of approximately 33 years and emerge as a new infection.
- Claimed conditions
- septic arthritis and infections of the left knee, celiac disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2014
- Citation
- 1443575
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 1443575.
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 decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's celiac disease is related to his service, specifically his TERA exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy and celiac disease, finding that these conditions are secondary to service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's celiac disease is rated at a 30 percent rating, and no higher, during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for celiac disease and gastrointestinal disability due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for additional medical opinions.
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