The Veteran's service-connected post-TKR left knee disability is rated at 60 percent, meeting the criteria for a TDIU rating as his only service-connected disability. However, there is no evidence to support service connection for a low back disability secondary to the service-connected left knee disability.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided do not support a finding that the Veteran's current low back disability is related to or aggravated by his service-connected post-TKR left knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative lumbosacral disc disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- September 22, 2014
- Citation
- 1442356
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 1442356.
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 back disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess its severity. Additionally, the issue of TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also being remanded.
- Denied
The VA determined that the veteran's degenerative lumbosacral disc disease warranted a disability rating of 40 percent, which is in line with his current condition.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
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