The Veteran's left knee and thoracolumbar spine disabilities were evaluated, with the left knee receiving a 10% rating prior to January 2, 2015, and a 20% rating thereafter. The thoracolumbar spine disability received a 20% rating. Both conditions are not rated higher.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes due to lack of specific findings such as severe instability or ankylosis, and her complaints were adequately addressed by the current schedular criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee degenerative disease, degenerative disease of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 25, 2016
- Citation
- 1612265
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 1612265.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for other specified depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and increased the ratings for thoracic spine degenerative changes, right knee degenerative disease, left knee degenerative disease, and right shoulder degenerative joint disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee degenerative disease, right knee degenerative disease, and right ankle condition due to a need for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate reasoning in previous decisions and a need for new opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's knee and ankle conditions.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and service connection as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.
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