The Board denied an increased evaluation for patellar chondromalacia of the left knee, currently rated at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show any limitation of motion or instability that would warrant a higher rating than the current 10 percent assigned for arthritis of the knee.
- Claimed conditions
- patellar chondromalacia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2003
- Citation
- 0302572
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,987 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0302572.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left knee disability and limited extension was denied. The left knee disability was rated at 10 percent from June 5, 2008 to May 31, 2017, based on painful arthritis with flexion limited no worse than 95 degrees. For the initial rating period of July 1, 2010 to May 31, 2017, left knee extension was rated at 0 percent due to limitation of motion not reaching a compensable degree.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified a pre-decisional duty to assist error in the February 2019 rating decision and has remanded both issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating for left knee osteoarthritis and patellar chondromalacia, and entitlement to SMC based on aid and attendance.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's March 2011 left knee surgery was not performed on a service-connected disability, and therefore he is not entitled to a temporary total rating for convalescence.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability, including strain, degenerative joint disease, patellar chondromalacia, and meniscal tear, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to limited flexion (to at most 90 degrees) and no instability or locking.
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