The Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities are granted. Service connection is also granted for diabetes mellitus, type II. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder degenerative joint disease is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to his military duties as a mechanic and cook. Service connection was granted based on relative equipoise between the Veteran's lay statements and medical opinions supporting a nexus to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, Right knee osteoarthritis, Left knee osteoarthritis, Diabetes mellitus, type II
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 24, 2021
- Citation
- 21070583
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 21070583.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied increased ratings for left shoulder, right knee, and left knee replacement conditions. However, the Board granted a 10 percent rating for the left knee scar and a 30 percent rating for the lumbar spine degenerative joint disease.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for increased initial evaluations of degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left shoulder strain with degenerative arthritis, and right shoulder degenerative arthritis due to inadequate VA examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding no evidence that his death was related to any injury or disease in service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
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