The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc and joint disease, but denied the claims for increased evaluations of chondromalacia patella of both knees. The veteran's knee conditions are currently rated as 20 percent disabling.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran's complaints were out of proportion to the objective findings, indicating a pathological process in his knees causing pain, weakness, and fatigability.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, chondromalacia patella of the right knee, chondromalacia patella of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 13, 2000
- Citation
- 0018360
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 0018360.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and an increased initial rating of 30 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease with eosinophilic esophagitis, while denying increased ratings for chondromalacia patella of the left and right knees, a compensable rating for three surgical scars on the left lower extremity, major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and headaches. The Board also remanded several claims for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including painful scars of the right knee, left foot plantar fasciitis, residuals of fracture of the left talus, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The claims were denied as the evidence did not support higher ratings or an earlier effective date.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) because the evidence did not show that her service-connected back disorder or left lower extremity radiculopathy alone would prevent her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the cases for further review due to inadequate prior examinations and the passage of time since the last evaluations. A new evaluation is needed to assess current severity and provide retrospective opinions on previous examinations.
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