The Board found that the right total knee arthroplasty was not caused by VA's carelessness, negligence, or similar instance of fault. The additional disability is deemed to be due to the natural progression of the veteran's pre-existing condition.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show any instances of carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA in providing the right total knee arthroplasty.
- Claimed conditions
- Right knee degenerative joint disease, Post-surgical complications
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2004
- Citation
- 0403132
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 0403132.
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 increased ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome, left and right ankle disabilities but remanded the claims for other joint conditions due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for left knee post-prosthetic total replacement on or after December 16, 2024, as the maximum schedular evaluation of 60 percent was already assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a compensable disability rating for hypertension, an increased rating for PTSD with adjustment disorder and depressed mood, an increased rating for tinnitus, and increased ratings for left knee status post meniscectomy with arthritis and right knee degenerative joint disease.
- Partly granted
The Board denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right knee degenerative joint disease prior to May 13, 2021, but granted a rating of 30 percent for both knees as of that date due to instability.
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