The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA disability evaluation criteria.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show limitation of motion or other symptoms warranting a higher rating under the current criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar and thoracic spine; Intervertebral Disc Syndrome (IVDS), Right bicep strain, Left knee, arthritis with shin splints, Right knee, arthritis with shin splints, Left ankle tendonitis, Minimal osteoarthritis 1st carpometacarpal left hand (left hand)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21068680
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 21068680.
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 denied increased ratings for asthma with COPD, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left and right knee disabilities, and left and right ankle disabilities. However, TDIU was granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD with depression, and increased ratings of 20 percent for right and left ankle tendonitis. The hypertension and tinnitus claims were denied.
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