The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of service connection for degenerative arthritis left knee and right knee strain with osteoarthritis.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support assigning an earlier effective date as the Veteran filed a complete claim within one year of his intent to file, and there was no clear and unmistakable error in the previous determinations.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis left knee, Right knee strain with osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25109511
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,036 · Granted: 27% (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 A25109511.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected left knee disability is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The AOJ must schedule the Veteran for a new examination and readjudicate the issue.
- Denied
The Board denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, finding that there was no VA treatment or referral shown and concluding that the claim must be denied as a matter of law.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings and service connection was denied due to the untimely filing of a Board Appeal request.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining private treatment and Social Security Administration records.
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.