The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for mechanical low back pain and arthroscopy of the right knee have been denied. The rating for mechanical low back pain was not granted higher than 20% prior to November 19, 2018, and 40% thereafter. For the arthroscopy of the right knee, a separate compensable rating of 20% has not been met.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disabilities did not meet or approximate the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Mechanical low back pain, Arthroscopy of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19129405
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected back disability and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to December 11, 2009. The Board denied the claim for TDIU on both schedular and extraschedular grounds.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a mechanical low back disability is reopened. The Board finds additional development necessary due to the possibility of worsening knee disabilities and new onset of lower back pain.
- Granted
The Veteran is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board has granted a TDIU for the period prior to November 13, 2015.
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