The Board granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, left shoulder strain, and cervical strain, all related to excessive strain placed upon the Veteran's joints during active service.
The deciding factor: The evidence in favor of the Veteran's claim includes his lay statements indicating that his symptoms started during service and a privately obtained opinion from Dr. G.H., which was presented in two parts, stating that the conditions were at least as likely as not related to excessive strain placed upon his joints running in non-supportive boots and shoes while carrying excessive weight in ruck sack.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, left shoulder strain, cervical strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2025
- Citation
- 25008901
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.
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- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for rhinorrhea and denied initial compensable evaluations for headaches and left knee disability, while remanding the claim for a respiratory disorder.
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The Veteran's service connection for left shoulder strain, labral tear, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and tendinitis was granted, while the effective date prior to November 11, 2023, for migraine headaches was denied.
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