The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's bilateral chondromalacia knee conditions, finding that they did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on instability or arthritis.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and medical records showed no more than slight recurrent lateral instability in either knee, and no X-ray findings of arthritis. The veteran’s symptoms were primarily pain and tenderness without significant functional impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondromalacia patella (knee)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- February 19, 2004
- Citation
- 0404605
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0404605.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for chondromalacia patella of the left and right knees was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 10 percent prior to July 11, 2019, or any higher rating thereafter.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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