The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee and hip arthritis, hypertension, and OSA. The Veteran's left and right knees were not shown to have manifested within the first year after discharge from service, and there is no evidence of a chronic disease during service or within one year post-service. For his hips, the preponderance of evidence does not show that he had hip arthritis to a compensable degree within one year of separation. The Board also denied service connection for OSA as it was proximately due to his service-connected depression and hypertension.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's knee and hip conditions were not shown to have manifested during service or within the first post-service year, and there is no evidence of a chronic disease during service or within one year post-service. The Board also found that the OSA was proximately due to his service-connected depression and hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, left hip degenerative arthritis, right hip degenerative arthritis, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18136010
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 18136010.
What this means for you
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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