The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has a combined disability rating of 70 percent, with the highest rated disability being 30 percent for right knee degenerative arthritis with idiopathic leg cramps and left knee degenerative arthritis with idiopathic leg cramps. The Social Security Administration found that she was disabled due to osteoarthritis and psychiatric disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive disorder, Right knee degenerative arthritis with idiopathic right leg cramps, Left knee degenerative arthritis with idiopathic left leg cramps, Idiopathic cramp of the right hip joint, Left hip bursitis with limited flexion, Left hip bursitis with limited extension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20079506
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 20079506.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for additional VA examinations to properly evaluate the current severity of her disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted a 70 percent disability rating from April 27, 2020 to August 15, 2022, and a TDIU was also granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD and depressive disorder to schedule a VA examination as new and relevant evidence has been received.
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