The Veteran's lumbar arthritis, status-post L5-S1 fusion is granted service connection. The right and left knee disabilities are each granted a separate 20 percent rating for instability since February 7, 2021.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports the finding that the Veteran's back condition was aggravated by her service-connected knee disabilities, but does not support an in-service etiology or secondary causation of the claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar arthritis, status-post L5-S1 fusion, right knee patella alta with patellofemoral pain syndrome and degenerative joint disease status-post arthroscopy, left knee patella alta with patellofemoral pain syndrome and degenerative joint disease, right knee instability prior to February 7, 2021, left knee instability prior to February 7, 2021, right knee instability since February 7, 2021, left knee instability since February 7, 2021, right knee meniscal tear residuals since February 25, 2010, left knee meniscal tear residuals since September 4, 2013
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 11, 2023
- Citation
- 23050266
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 23050266.
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
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- Denied
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- Granted
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