The VA back in 1991 granted me a service connected disability for the cardiac arrhythmia's, but denied for both the knee and back claiming that they both did occur in the service and were treated there, but the VA no longer considered them an issue even though I've been totally disabled since Dec 2000.
In so far as the cardiac arrhythmia's were concerned, the VA rated them at ZERO percent because I was at that time working a desk job even though I was out on disability for that entire year.
The VA will NEVER grant any compensation if they can get away without granting it no matter what the law says, and the law is always in their favor.
Back in 2007, there was a new law passed granting vets the right to sue VA, but that only applies within one year of being turned down on an appeal. I've been turned down on three appeals so far and now I have to go through that process again just to be able to hire a lawyer to sue the VA.
Interestingly, I do receive totally free medical care at the Orlando VA clinic due to my cardiac problems as well as the knee and back. The VA states that I am totally disabled but still denies any compensation for the disabilities which occurred in the army and were treated there and are on my service medical record.
Part of their denial for the knee and back was that I waited too long after getting out of the army to file. I remember that while I was in the process of leaving, I was told that if I claimed any health problems, I wouldn't be released from service until they were resolved. 1967 was not a good time to be extended.
That sounds like the same song and dance they gave my husband. Since then he has had heart surgery. He hasn’t tried filing his case again. He said he is tired of fooling with them. Like you, he gets 100% paid medical.