The veteran's psoriatic arthritis and lumbosacral strain with herniated nucleus pulposus are rated at the maximum disability levels based on their severity.
The deciding factor: The veteran's conditions present severe limitations of motion, warranting the highest disability ratings under relevant diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine psoriatic arthritis, Right (major) shoulder psoriatic arthritis, Left (minor) shoulder psoriatic arthritis, Right knee psoriatic arthritis, Left knee psoriatic arthritis, Right ankle psoriatic arthritis, Left ankle psoriatic arthritis, Right foot psoriatic arthritis, Left foot psoriatic arthritis, Lumbosacral strain with herniated nucleus pulposus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 3, 2002
- Citation
- 0217451
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 0217451.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a total disability due to individual unemployability based on a single disability for special monthly compensation purposes, as there was no evidence that any single service-connected condition or combination of conditions rendered him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for various psoriatic arthritis disabilities, including cervical spine, left hand, right hand, left hip, right hip, and both knees. The rating assigned is 20 percent for each disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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