The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint diseases of the left wrist, thoracic spine, right knee, left knee, and lumbosacral spine are currently rated at 10 percent each. The RO has denied his claims for higher ratings.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected conditions have been evaluated based on their current manifestations without any indication of a need for higher evaluations due to the established criteria in place for these diagnoses.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the left wrist, Degenerative joint disease of the thoracic spine, Right knee instability, Degenerative joint disease of the right knee, Degenerative joint disease of the left knee, Degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 29, 2001
- Citation
- 0117411
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 0117411.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development to ensure that the severity of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is accurately assessed without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, effective February 2, 2020.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for right knee instability and a 20 percent rating for painful and/or limited motion of the right knee, but denied a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.
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