The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that Gilbert's syndrome, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, gout of the bilateral ankles, feet, and toes, arthritis of the lumbar spine with strain, plantar fasciitis with mild degenerative joint disease (left foot), plantar fasciitis with mild degenerative joint disease (right foot), allergic rhinitis, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease with diverticulitis, and sebaceous cyst were not service connected or warranted increased ratings.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's conditions are either congenital defects without evidence of superimposed injury during service, or do not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a showing of chronicity in service or continuity of symptoms after service. The Board also found that there was no aggravation of any pre-existing condition.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Gilbert's syndrome"}, {"condition_name":"Degenerative Joint Disease (right knee)"}, {"condition_name":"Patellofemoral Syndrome (left knee)"}, {"condition_name":"Gout of the bilateral ankles, feet, and toes"}, {"condition_name":"Arthritis of the lumbar spine with strain"}, {"condition_name":"Plantar fasciitis with mild degenerative joint disease (left foot)"}, {"condition_name":"Plantar fasciitis with mild degenerative joint disease (right foot)"}, {"condition_name":"Allergic Rhinitis"}, {"condition_name":"Hypertension"}, {"condition_name":"Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease with Diverticulitis"}, {"condition_name":"Sebaceous Cyst (back)"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19195809
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 19195809.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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