The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee degenerative joint diseases are granted. The cervical spine disability, neurological impairment of the upper extremities, and neurological impairment of the lower extremities are remanded for further examination and opinion. The initial ratings for left ankle degenerative joint disease and residuals of a right thumb sprain are also remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities are found to be at least as likely due to his service-connected left ankle disability. The cervical spine, neurological upper extremity, and neurological lower extremity claims require further examination and opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, left hip degenerative joint disease, right hip degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20069026
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,863 · Granted: 26% (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 20069026.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability, including without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, including secondary to a service-connected left knee disability, is granted. The condition was not related to military service and no aggravation by the service-connected left knee disability could be established.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to service connection, including chronic right foot metatarsalgia at digit 3,4,5, left shoulder bicep tendonitis, right hip degenerative joint disease, hypertension, right shoulder bicep tendonitis, headaches, left hip degenerative joint disease, and atrial fibrillation with residual non ischemic cardiomyopathy.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability was not shown to be related to service or any service-connected conditions, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.
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