The veteran's low back strain is rated at 40 percent, and his right and left knee disabilities are each rated at 20 percent. The decision grants these ratings.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows osteoarthritic changes in the lumbar spine with muscle spasms, pain on movement, and limited range of motion due to pain and lack of endurance. For the knees, there is degenerative arthritis confirmed by X-rays, instability, chondromalacia, and pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Strain, Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Chondromalacia of the Patellae (Right Knee), Degenerative Arthritis of the Right Knee, Degenerative Arthritis of the Left Knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 2, 2001
- Citation
- 0112447
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 0112447.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection and initial disability ratings for obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and degenerative arthritis of the right knee to correct duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including erectile dysfunction, PTSD, depression, frequent urination, intermetatarsal neuroma right foot, left knee condition, right knee condition, low back strain, shoulder strain, and tinnitus, due to a failure to provide necessary examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for PTSD and low back strain, as the earliest possible effective date based on his August 5, 2023, intent to file was already assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, as well as left ankle strain.
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