The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, and he is now entitled to increased ratings for his left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome. The appeal regarding the low back disorder, left hip condition, right hip condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, impairment of intellectual functioning, acquired psychiatric disorder (including a mood disorder and depression), and individual unemployability has been remanded.
The deciding factor: New evidence was submitted sufficient to reopen the claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease. The Veteran's knee disorders do not meet criteria for higher ratings based on range of motion limitations or additional functional loss due to pain during flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, navicular bones disability, left foot, navicular bones disability, right foot, impairment of intellectual functioning, acquired psychiatric disorder (including a mood disorder and depression)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- March 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19120193
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,642 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19120193.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability, finding that it is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected back and sciatica disabilities. The evidence did not support a nexus between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (other specified trauma and stressor related disorder and PTSD), and Parkinson's disease. The conditions are presumed to be due to exposure in service.,Service connection is established for all four claimed conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve, effective January 12, 2024. Attorney fees are eligible based on past due benefits awarded in this decision.
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