The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability has been reopened and granted. The claims for service connection for OSA, increased rating for lumbosacral strain, initial ratings for RLE sciatic radiculopathy (prior to October 12, 2018) and LLE sciatic radiculopathy (post October 12, 2018), TDIU based solely on an acquired psychiatric disorder, SMC at the housebound rate, and basic eligibility to DEA under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 have all been granted.
The deciding factor: New evidence received more than one year after the October 2015 rating decision raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for service connection for left knee disability and OSA, but did not meet the criteria to reopen the claim for service connection for OSA. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain has been rated based on limitation of motion under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Disability, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Lumbosacral Strain, Right Lower Extremity Sciatic Radiculopathy, Left Lower Extremity Sciatic Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 6, 2024
- Citation
- 24006348
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 24006348.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds no evidence of clear and unmistakable error in assigning an effective date of June 19, 2002.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for vertigo and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's hearing loss is not rated higher than 10 percent.
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