The Board has denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knee, osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, a right shoulder condition, and intervertebral disc disorder of the spine as there is no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records are silent for any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses related to his claimed disabilities. There is no medical evidence in the record suggesting that any of the claimed disabilities may be due to an accident or injury sustained during his three months of active-duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the left knee, Degenerative joint disease of the right knee, Osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, Right shoulder condition, Intervertebral disc disorder of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26011280
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 A26011280.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's right and left knee braces caused wear and tear to his clothing in the year of 2021, leading to a decision granting annual clothing allowances for both knee braces.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for psychiatric disorder, right shoulder condition, and right knee condition due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and any evidence not considered will be reviewed by the AOJ in the adjudication of the claim.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Knee as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability, but has remanded the claim for Lumbar Spine Disability.
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.