The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, left knee osteoarthritis, and left ankle sprain, while denying service connection for hypertension. The Board also granted an initial 20% rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome but denied compensable ratings for bilateral pinguecula and a right ring finger disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence was in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, left knee osteoarthritis, and left ankle sprain had their onset during active service. The evidence persuasively weighed against a finding that the Veteran has hypertension or any related symptoms resulting in functional impairment of earning capacity.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, Left knee osteoarthritis, Left ankle sprain, Hypertension, Bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis (claimed as feet), Migraine headaches, Bilateral dry eye syndrome, Bilateral pinguecula, Right ring finger disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2025
- Citation
- A25049306
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.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates of November 5, 2021, for the grants of service connection and eligibility for DEA benefits.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
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