The Board granted service connection for left knee disability, to include left knee joint osteoarthritis on an aggravation basis and for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities. The claim for a higher initial rating for lumbosacral strain with IVDS was denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's left and right lower extremity disabilities had their onset in service, and the reasonable doubt created by this relative equipoise in the evidence must be resolved in the Veteran's favor. The Board found that the preexisting patella femoral syndrome noted at entry into service was aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2025
- Citation
- 25012332
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