The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the hands, knees, and back as it was not shown to be chronic in service or manifest within one year of discharge, continuity of symptomatology was not established, and there was no evidence linking the condition to an in-service injury or disease.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found that the Veteran's osteoarthritis was more likely related to age-related changes rather than his active service. There was also no evidence supporting a secondary relationship with his service-connected asbestosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2022
- Citation
- 22000822
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of October 21, 2019, for a disability rating of 30 percent for left knee meniscal tear, ACL tear, and osteoarthritis status post left total knee replacement.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis and a neck disability, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.
- Granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus and osteoarthritis, effective January 21, 2024.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bilateral upper extremities pain, an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and squamous cell carcinoma of the anus as secondary to service-connected hepatitis C. However, psoriatic arthritis was denied.
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