The veteran's claim for separate service connection for degenerative joint disease, right knee, status post arthroplasty as secondary to the service-connected amputation, left leg, below the knee and loss of use of right leg is denied. The temporary total rating based on convalescence following right lower extremity surgery is also denied. The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on anatomical loss of use of both legs at levels, or with complications, preventing natural knee action with prostheses in place is denied.
The deciding factor: The veteran does not meet the physical criteria for special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(m) due to his left leg having natural knee action and right leg having use of the knee, preventing a higher level of special monthly compensation.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease, right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2000
- Citation
- 0033072
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 0033072.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for the veteran's left and right knee disabilities but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for residuals of a right knee meniscal tear to include degenerative joint disease, finding that the Veteran's in-service injury led to his current condition.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for various conditions, including left eye condition, right eye condition, hypertension, left knee, right knee, obstructive sleep apnea, and coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as denied an earlier effective date for CAD.
- Granted
The Board granted an increased initial rating of 20 percent disabling for the Veteran's right shoulder, effective November 22, 2011.
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