The Veteran's service connection claims for back disorder, bilateral hand disorder, neck disorder, and right knee disorder were denied due to lack of a diagnosis, in-service injury or disease, and nexus to active duty service. New evidence received since the November 2004 rating decision includes diagnoses of arthritis, DJD, osteophytes, spondylosis, stenosis, and degenerative changes in various joints.,The Veteran's back disorder was not chronic in service or within one year after separation from service. The right knee disorder did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service.
The deciding factor: The new evidence does not establish that the disorders are related to service, as they were not diagnosed during service and do not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"back disorder","diagnosis":"osteophytes, spondylosis, and degenerative changes in the thoracic and lumbar spine"}, {"condition_name":"bilateral hand disorder","diagnosis":"arthritis"}, {"condition_name":"neck disorder","diagnosis":"osteophytes, spondylosis, stenosis, and degenerative joint disease (DJD) in the cervical spine"}, {"condition_name":"right knee disorder","diagnosis":"degenerative joint disease (DJD)"}
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19149097
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's left eye condition is related to service, as it found that the condition did not preexist service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, related to in-service exposures at Camp Lejeune.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of August 10, 2022, for the grant of service connection for sinusitis based on the PACT Act.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the conditions are related to in-service herbicide agent exposure.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.