The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hip condition and a bilateral foot condition, finding that the evidence did not support a secondary relationship to the Veteran's service-connected knee conditions.,Service connection was also denied for TDIU due to the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found no credible medical evidence linking the Veteran's bilateral hip and foot conditions to his service-connected knee conditions, as well as no clear sound evidence-based studies correlating arthritis in one joint predisposing another joint to develop arthritis.,The Veteran’s private orthopedist provided opinions suggesting a secondary relationship between his knee replacements and his hip and foot conditions, but these were not considered probative due to lack of rationale.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hip Condition, Bilateral Foot Condition
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20034577
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 20034577.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is rated at the maximum noncompensable level. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral hip condition due to insufficient evidence in the prior VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of adequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus was aggravated by service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination regarding various service-connected conditions, including left knee, shoulder, hip, ED, OSA, skin condition (dystrophic toenails), and lung condition (COPD). The effective date of service connection remains August 16, 2018.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and bilateral foot condition due to a lack of medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship to service.
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.