The Board has determined that the Veteran's current upper and lower extremity disorders, including osteoarthritis of the hands and feet, are not related to service, specifically exposure to cold weather. The evidence does not support a finding of chronic symptoms during or immediately following service, nor do they manifest within one year post-service separation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current upper and lower extremity disorders were diagnosed many years after service separation and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service, including exposure to cold weather. The August 2012 VA examiner found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of a cold injury during service and concluded that any current symptoms are more likely related to age-related changes rather than service.
- Claimed conditions
- Osteoarthritis of the hands and feet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 19, 2015
- Citation
- 1507286
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 1507286.
What this means for you
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