The veteran's degenerative joint disease of multiple joints is currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling.
The deciding factor: The veteran's X-rays showed minimal osteoarthritis changes in the lower lumbar spine with slight narrowing of the L5-S1 interspace, and no significant bone or joint abnormalities in other joints. The disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria for a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5003.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of Multiple Joints
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 5, 2003
- Citation
- 0308461
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,642 · Granted: 19% (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 0308461.
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
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