A separate, 30 percent rating for the side effects of medications used to treat lumbosacral strain with DDD and degenerative arthritis is granted. The initial rating for chondromalacia of the right knee remains remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's medication use causes him to be spacey and drowsy, affecting his reliability, productivity, concentration, and ability to follow instructions, approximating an occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative arthritis, chondromalacia of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- October 30, 2018
- Citation
- 18145971
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 18145971.
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
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the lack of a VA examination and opinion regarding his claimed conditions. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to determine if there is a link between the Veteran's current disabilities and his active service.
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