The Board found that the veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities do not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and thus denied his claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show that the veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities were so severe as to preclude all forms of gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee degenerative joint disease, anterior cruciate ligament deficiency, postoperative medial and lateral meniscus tears, instability of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- June 30, 2003
- Citation
- 0314275
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 0314275.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for limitation of extension of the right knee and a 10 percent rating for instability of the right knee, but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his bilateral knee disabilities due to a need for an additional VA examination that addresses the level of functional impairment absent the beneficial effects of medication.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee degenerative joint disease and left knee osteoarthritis, as he failed to appear for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, but granted a separate rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy from October 20, 2020.
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