The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, as secondary to his service-connected right knee disorder. The decision also grants service connection for posttraumatic osteoarthritis of both hands and fingers, but denies service connection for a neck disorder.
The deciding factor: The evidence is at least in relative equipoise that the Veteran's left knee disorder was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disorder, and there is no evidence against this finding. The VA physician provided an opinion supporting this conclusion based on medical literature. For the posttraumatic osteoarthritis of both hands and fingers, the Board found continuity of symptomatology since discharge from service.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disorder, posttraumatic, left hand and fingers osteoarthritis (OA), posttraumatic, right hand and fingers osteoarthritis (OA), neck disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- August 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18131246
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 18131246.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, left upper extremity nerve condition, headache condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right shoulder condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral pes planus, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision on his service connection claims.
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