The Veteran's right and left knee strains are granted as service connection. The Veteran's musculoskeletal bilateral foot disability, aggravated during service, is also granted.,Service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, and a skin disability of the feet, remains pending due to remand.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's right and left knee strains were incurred during service. The examiner did not consider the STRs showing treatment for knee pain following a motor vehicle accident in Japan, nor post-service treatment records indicating ongoing bilateral knee pain.,For the lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, the Board found that the evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether they were caused by service. The examiner did not address the Veteran's statements regarding wear-and-tear from physical training and deployments, or his STRs showing treatment for neck spasms following a motor vehicle accident.,For the skin disability of the feet, the Board found that the evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether it was caused by service. The examiner did not address the Veteran's statements regarding foot pain during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiac contusion, Right knee strain, Left knee strain, Aggravation of pre-existing musculoskeletal bilateral foot disability (pes cavus and plantar fasciitis), Lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, Cervical spine degenerative arthritis, Skin disability of the feet (slits)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2024
- Citation
- A24026924
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 A24026924.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there was no nexus between his current condition and active duty service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine strain, right wrist sprain, right knee strain, left knee strain, and right ankle strain. The disabilities are all deemed to have begun during the Veteran's active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee condition due to inadequate VA opinions and incomplete record development regarding his National Guard service.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a fungal infection of the feet, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, and psychiatric condition due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by 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.