The Board has granted the veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, as well as for low back disability. The current evaluations are 10 percent for each knee condition and 10 percent for the low back disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and treatment records consistently documented the presence of degenerative changes in both knees and a lumbar spine injury with chronic strain, warranting the assigned ratings based on the criteria for limitation of motion under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261, as well as arthritis under Diagnostic Code 5003.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis of the right knee, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, lumbar spine injury with chronic lumbar strain and degenerative arthritis with coccydynia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 1, 2000
- Citation
- 0031479
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 0031479.
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 an initial disability rating of 30 percent for the lower right leg strain prior to February 7, 2022, and denied a higher rating. The claims for increased ratings were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a respiratory condition, restless leg syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, and higher ratings for allergic rhinitis, tension headaches, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and generalized anxiety disorder with unspecified mood disorder and alcohol use disorder. The claims for chronic sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and lumbosacral strain were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left sciatica and degenerative arthritis of the left knee, as both conditions were found to be caused by service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities for a new VA examination and etiological opinion due to inadequate previous opinions.
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