The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain with osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, and knee cartilage restoration surgery, lumbar strain, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, right shoulder strain, and left shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis.,An effective date of December 6, 2016 has been granted for the award of service connection for right knee instability.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his military service. The VA examiner attributed the condition to pre-existing conditions prior to service, but this opinion was found to be non-probative due to the presumption of soundness at entry into service.,The Veteran reported experiencing symptoms in 1969 during basic training and these have continued since then. A private doctor's opinion supports a link between the current condition and military service.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee strain with osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, and knee cartilage restoration surgery, lumbar strain, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, right shoulder strain, left shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26013750
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 A26013750.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder strain as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after discharge, and the medical opinion found that his current condition is not related to his military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for right hand arthritis and left hand arthritis have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for lumbar strain, radiculopathy of the left sciatic nerve, and radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve have been remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for lumbar strain and lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome with left sciatica. The right lower extremity sciatica claim is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability.
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