The Veteran's service-connected herniated nucleus pulpous at L4-5 and L5-S1 status post microdiscectomy left L4-5 with degenerative disc disease is granted a 40% evaluation, effective from the date of claim. The Veteran's left knee flexion prior to August 13, 2012, and left knee total replacement from October 1, 2013 are both granted.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran’s service-connected herniated nucleus pulpous at L4-5 and L5-S1 status post microdiscectomy left L4-5 with degenerative disc disease resulted in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 30 degrees or less, which meets the criteria for a 40% evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Veteran's left knee total replacement from October 1, 2013 has resulted in chronic residuals of severe painful motion.
- Claimed conditions
- herniated nucleus pulpous at L4-5 and L5-S1 status post microdiscectomy left L4-5 with degenerative disc disease, left knee flexion prior to August 13, 2012, left knee total replacement
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20067839
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 961 · Granted: 20% (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 20067839.
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's claim for service connection for right and left knee disorders was granted with an effective date of August 7, 2015.
- Partly granted
The Board granted separate ratings for a left knee meniscal tear and left knee instability, as well as a rating for left knee total replacement, but denied an increased rating for left knee osteoarthritis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is being remanded due to the need for an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of his current left knee disorders.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to June 1, 2009 was denied as the percentage requirements for schedular entitlement were not met before that date. The effective date of TDIU is set at June 1, 2009.
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