The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities have been evaluated based on their current manifestations. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the Veteran’s range of motion in his lumbar spine, right, and left knees is within the limits set forth by the applicable diagnostic codes without additional functional loss due to pain or other factors. The Board has considered whether separate ratings could be assigned for any associated neurologic impairment but found none.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Myositis Lumbar Paravertebral Muscles, Right Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Left Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20073904
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,614 · Granted: 35% (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 20073904.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for a right knee condition are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ must attempt to verify the claimed stressor events and provide a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, tendinitis, and strain, status post arthroscopy with meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis (limitation of flexion), and awarded an initial compensable rating for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, tendinitis, and strain, status post arthroscopy with meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis (limitation of extension).
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected low back and right knee disabilities, finding that these conditions caused his obesity, which in turn led to his current condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD and tinnitus are granted service connection, while anxiety is denied. The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome do not meet the criteria for service connection.,Service connection for left elbow tendinitis is remanded due to lack of evidence.
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