The veteran's service-connected left knee disability and hypertension do not warrant higher ratings as the evidence does not show more than the current assigned evaluations.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not demonstrate that the veteran's service-connected conditions result in additional functional impairment or symptoms that would justify a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Knee, Hypertensive Vascular Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 8, 2005
- Citation
- 0506538
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 0506538.
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 Veteran's left knee instability and limitation of extension associated with degenerative joint disease are rated at 20 percent from June 14, 2010 to January 11, 2016.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee is being remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Board finds that additional evidence and a new medical opinion are needed to properly assess the severity of the Veteran's condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The case is remanded due to insufficient information regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee recurrent subluxation at the December 2022 VA examination, and further development is needed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertensive vascular disease, as well as increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both upper and lower extremities due to inadequate medical opinions.
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