The veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease, T12-S1, was denied an increased evaluation. His service-connected right knee and left knee disabilities were granted increased evaluations of 40% and 10%, respectively. The veteran's history of asthma was granted a 30% evaluation.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of severe intervertebral disc syndrome in the veteran's back, which precluded a higher rating under the revised criteria for IDS. For his knees, the VA examiner noted full range of motion with little pain and no findings of current ankylosis, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, locking episodes, effusion, or other potentially relevant symptomatology.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (T12-S1), Degenerative joint disease (right knee), Degenerative joint disease (left knee), History of asthma, obstructive lung defect on pulmonary function test
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 27, 2003
- Citation
- 0305814
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,613 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0305814.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 CUE in the October 2007 rating decision for urinary incontinence, but denied CUE for left knee and right foot disabilities, as well as for the April 2010 asthma rating reduction.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities resulted in damage to his clothing due to the use of knee braces. The Board granted a 2018 clothing allowance for the use of both left and right knee braces.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee iliotibial band tear, post dislocation with degenerative joint disease and for a total rating based on individual unemployability prior to October 7, 2018 due to outstanding VA treatment records and incomplete employment information.
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