The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar strain, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis were denied. Service connection was granted for PVD of the RLE and LLE as secondary to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of the Veteran's conditions or any exceptional circumstances that would warrant an extraschedular evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar strain, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, peripheral vascular disease (PVD) of the right lower extremity (RLE), peripheral vascular disease (PVD) of the left lower extremity (LLE)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 21, 2022
- Citation
- 22070932
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 22070932.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability, left knee arthritis, and bilateral knee instability. The decision is based on the Veteran's competent and credible lay evidence regarding the onset of symptoms in service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis is dismissed. The claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and other conditions are granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and shin splints due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination. The case is now pending with a request for a new opinion.
- Denied
The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee degenerative arthritis, as his current conditions are not linked to his military service.
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