The Board has granted the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his thoracic and lumbar spine disorders, but denied his claims for initial compensable ratings for his bilateral knee disorders. The back issues are rated at 10 percent each prior to March 1, 2003, while the knee issues remain noncompensably rated.
The deciding factor: The veteran's thoracic and lumbar spine disorders were found to more closely approximate a 10 percent evaluation based on characteristic pain on motion. The knee disorders did not meet criteria for higher ratings due to lack of subluxation or instability, nor LOM on flexion or extension.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracic dextroscoliosis with minimal spondylosis, Livorotational scoliosis, lumbar spine with minimal spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2004
- Citation
- 0403462
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 0403462.
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.
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- Denied
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- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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