The Board denied service connection for right and left knee arthritis as the evidence did not support a finding of an in-service injury, disease, or event related to either knee, nor was there sufficient evidence to establish a secondary relationship between the knee disabilities and the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.
The deciding factor: The absence of in-service symptoms, complaints, findings, diagnosis, or treatment for knee issues, combined with no continuous symptoms since service separation, led to the denial of both direct and presumptive service connection. Additionally, there was insufficient evidence to establish a secondary relationship between the knee disabilities and the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee degenerative joint disease (arthritis), left knee degenerative joint disease (arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25102870
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25102870.
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Related decisions
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The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and right knee disability due to incomplete records and inadequate VA opinions. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
Service connection for headaches is granted. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of cluster headaches and experienced symptoms during service, with continuity of symptomatology post-service.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied. The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease was not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and there is no established continuity of symptomatology.,Service connection for a right leg disability is denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right leg disability, and his subjective symptoms do not meet the criteria for a disability under Saunders v. Wilkie (2018).,Service connection for chest pain is remanded. VA examination opinions are inadequate due to reliance on lack of documentation in service treatment records.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded. VA examination opinions are inadequate due to reliance on lack of documentation in service treatment records.,TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded. The issue cannot be adjudicated until the service connection issues are resolved.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for right knee instability and arthritis due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to reassess the severity of his disabilities, including testing without a brace and with weight-bearing.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal of all pending claims before the Board.
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