Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Whole decision: Denied

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee condition, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that any current condition is more likely related to obesity and age. The case was remanded for further development regarding entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to September 26, 2016.

The deciding factor: The Board found the Veteran's bilateral knee condition less likely than not related to his military service due to lack of in-service symptoms and the absence of medical records documenting such issues until almost 30 years after separation from service.

Claimed conditions
bilateral knee condition
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
September 4, 2020
Citation
20058673

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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20058673.

What this means for you

A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.

What you can do next

Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).

Related decisions

Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.

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.