The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, including medial collateral ligament strain and osteoarthritis, is presumed to have been incurred during service due to a traumatic incident in basic training.
The deciding factor: The March 2015 VA examination report provided a positive opinion for service connection on one of the four diagnoses made for the left knee, supporting the presumption that arthritis may be presumed if manifest within one year of service.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Heterotopic Ossification of the Left Knee, Left Knee Joint Osteoarthritis, Left Knee Medial Collateral Ligament Strain, Status Post ORIF - Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Left Patella Fracture
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19193253
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,858 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19193253.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his principal cause of death, cardiopulmonary arrest. As such, the claim for service connection for cause of death is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral shin splints, and knee injuries, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 9, 2019. The Board has granted TDIU on this basis.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's ratings for his right knee painful motion and left knee medial collateral ligament strain to 50 percent each, effective October 1, 2019.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic renal failure, headaches, left knee joint osteoarthritis, right knee scars, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The AOJ must obtain any outstanding records from SSA and private providers, as well as VA treatment records. A new VA examination is also required for each of these conditions to ensure an accurate assessment.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.