The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine degenerative changes, low back spasm/strain, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome have been granted. The claim for a disability claimed as joint arthritis other than the cervical spine, low back, and right knee is denied. The rating for PTSD remains at 70 percent.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current disabilities are related to service, with the evidence being at least evenly balanced in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes, cervical spine, Low back spasm/strain, Right knee patellofemoral syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- October 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20064940
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 32% (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 20064940.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period from May 25, 2016 to January 18, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 7, 2017, but no earlier, to July 26, 2019, and he was granted basic eligibility for DEA benefits during the same period.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD, service connection for left and right knee instability and locking, but remanded evaluations for left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome and limitation of flexion as well as the TDIU claim.
- Denied
The Board denied all claims for increased ratings, except for a separate rating for right knee instability.
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