The Board has determined that the veteran's postoperative residuals of the right knee and left knee warrant a 20 percent evaluation each, reflecting moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.
The deciding factor: Both knees showed significant functional limitations with moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, which is consistent with the criteria for a 20 percent rating under DC 5257 of the Rating Schedule.
- Claimed conditions
- Postoperative residuals of the right knee, Residuals of an injury to the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 29, 2004
- Citation
- 0417389
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 673 · Granted: 27% (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 0417389.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's knee, shoulder, tinnitus, and headache conditions, but granted a 10% rating for gastroesophageal reflux with hiatal hernia.
- Denied
The veteran's left knee injury residuals are manifested by some limitation of motion and mild arthritis, but no objective findings of instability or subluxation. An initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the condition is not warranted.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for postoperative residuals of the right knee effective from October 1, 1997. The veteran's condition was previously rated at 10 percent prior to this date.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.