The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and spondylosis was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent prior to September 23, 2014, for left knee arthritis was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent beginning November 1, 2015, for left knee arthritis status post total knee replacement was denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to March 7, 2018, was not demonstrated and thus the claim must be denied.

The deciding factor: The evidence did not demonstrate that the Veteran’s lumbar spine disability more nearly approximated the next highest disability rating of 40 percent.,Prior to September 23, 2014, the left knee disability was rated at the maximum schedular rating permitted for dislocation of semilunar cartilage and did not demonstrate compensable loss of range of motion, ankylosis, instability, or subluxation.,Beginning November 1, 2015, the left knee disability did not demonstrate left knee extension limited to 30 degrees, ankylosis, instability, subluxation, or severe residuals of his total knee replacement.,There was no evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

Claimed conditions

lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and spondylosis, left knee arthritis

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

March 8, 2021

Citation

21012953

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 21012953.