The Veteran's back disability is rated at 20% from September 15, 2015 onwards.,The Veteran’s left hip extension, flexion, and abduction are each granted a 10% rating from February 1, 2018 onwards. The Veteran’s left hip flexion is also granted a 10% rating from February 1, 2018 onwards.,The Veteran's right knee disorder is rated at 10% and his left knee disorder is rated at 10%. Both are granted TDIU status.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence shows that the back disability does not meet or approximate unfavorable ankylosis, incapacitating episodes, or flexion limitation to 30 degrees when considering pain and flare-ups. The Veteran's left hip extension, flexion, and abduction are each manifested by painful motion from February 1, 2018 onwards.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the right knee disorder does not meet or approximate flexion limitation to 30 degrees or extension limitation to at least 10 degrees. The left knee disorder is also manifested by painful motion and does not meet or approximate flexion limitation to 30 degrees or extension limitation to at least 10 degrees.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable.
- Claimed conditions
- Back disability, Left Hip Extension Disorder, Left Hip Flexion Disorder, Left Hip Abduction Disorder, Right Knee Disorder, Left Knee Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20015079
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 20015079.
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 back disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a back disability due to incomplete service records and failure to consider all available evidence, including in-service treatment records from F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his military service and grants entitlement to service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's rating for residuals status post lumbar fusion was reduced from 40 percent to 20 percent effective October 25, 2023. The reduction was granted as there was no evidence of actual improvement in the Veteran's condition prior to this date.
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