The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, right knee instability, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee do not warrant evaluations in excess of 20 percent, 10 percent, or any other assigned rating, respectively.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not demonstrate that the veteran's conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation under any applicable diagnostic code.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, anterolateral instability with anterior cruciate ruptures, medial meniscus tear, right knee, degenerative joint disease of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2002
- Citation
- 0218171
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 0218171.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and lumbar radicopathy, right side, secondary to the lumbosacral strain.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.
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