The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right leg condition was denied, and his increased rating claim for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine prior to September 16, 2019 was also denied. The Board found that there is no evidence linking current right leg cramps to in-service injuries or disease, and that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s right leg condition did not begin during service and was not related to any in-service injury. The VA examination also found no evidence of ankylosis or other functional impairment sufficient to warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Right leg cramps, Degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20042238
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 20042238.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine was dismissed as a matter of law due to a full grant of benefits. The appeals for left knee and left ankle disabilities are remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar disability and associated radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves are granted with effective dates from June 30, 2010. A 40% rating is assigned for the lumbar disability.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability, including degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 40 percent for his back disability is denied. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU from February 25, 2016, to August 14, 2022, is also denied. The effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits is denied.
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