The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the right knee, hip, left knee, right shoulder, and left shoulder as secondary to residuals of a right kidney transplant. The decision is based on medical evidence that prolonged use of immunosuppressive medications and steroid therapy caused or aggravated these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran regarding his service connection claims for DJD of the knee, hip, shoulder joints as secondary to residuals of right kidney transplant. The decision is based on medical opinions that prolonged use of immunosuppressive medications and steroid therapy caused or aggravated these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the right knee, degenerative joint disease of the right hip, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20019951
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 20019951.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral hips and right knee are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The VA is required to obtain the Veteran's SSA disability benefits records, provide supplemental opinions regarding the ameliorative effects of medication on his hip and knee disabilities, and correct any duty-to-assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his right knee scar. The RO must attempt to obtain all available private treatment records from the Tennessee Orthopedic Clinic.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left (non-dominant) shoulder, right knee, and left knee are being remanded due to a failure to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also being remanded as it was denied in the most recent rating decision without an SSOC having been issued.
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