The Board granted service connection for a left knee, right knee, left hip, and right hip disability prior to the Veteran's death, as these disabilities were found to be directly related to an injury sustained during active military service.

The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran had experienced wear and tear of his joints while serving as a tank commander, and a medical opinion from his primary care physician linked the severe degenerative joint disease to cumulative trauma sustained during his military service.

Claimed conditions

left knee disability, to include degenerative arthritis and status post total knee replacement, right knee disability, to include degenerative arthritis and status post total knee replacement and above the knee amputation, left hip disability, to include degenerative arthritis and status post total hip replacement, right hip disability, to include degenerative arthritis and status post total hip replacement

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

100%

Decision date

December 18, 2025

Citation

A25109463

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine