The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for psoriasis, degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, and degenerative joint disease of the left knee were denied as there is no evidence to support a higher rating based on current symptoms.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes due to lack of additional functional loss or instability during flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- Psoriasis, Degenerative Joint and Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- May 5, 2010
- Citation
- 1016670
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 1016670.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected psoriasis and bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death was cardiopulmonary arrest due to aspiration, and they have found a duty to assist error in their initial decision. They are now requesting a medical opinion to determine if the service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee instability and limitation of extension associated with degenerative joint disease are rated at 20 percent from June 14, 2010 to January 11, 2016.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee is being remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Board finds that additional evidence and a new medical opinion are needed to properly assess the severity of the Veteran's condition.
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