The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is granted, with a rating of 40 percent effective from March 10, 2011. The right and left shoulder disabilities are rated at the maximum available under the VA rating schedule.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records show complaints of knee pain during service, which were not well documented but consistent with current diagnoses of bilateral knee degenerative arthritis.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Bursitis with Degenerative Joint Disease, Left Shoulder Bursitis with Degenerative Joint Disease, Bilateral Knee Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 4, 2012
- Citation
- 1234479
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 1234479.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, finding a medical link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The rejection letters issued on November 25, 2022, July 18, 2023, and March 27, 2024, are void. The Veteran's claims for initial separate ratings in excess of 10 percent for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, entitlement to initial separate 10 percent ratings for bilateral knee instability, a non-initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, an earlier effective date, and TDIU have been remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 20 percent since February 7, 2021. This rating is granted for the entire period on appeal.
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