The VA has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 30 percent for status post patellectomy and 10 percent for arthritis.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or extension limited to 20 degrees, which would warrant higher ratings under relevant VA disability evaluation criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- status post patellectomy of the left knee, arthritis of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 11, 2006
- Citation
- 0600922
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for arthritis of the left knee and right knee to ensure compliance with a Joint Motion for Partial Remand from the Court.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including residuals of a head injury, bilateral hearing loss, neck disability, gout of the right ankle, unspecified trauma or stress related disorder, tinnitus, and other musculoskeletal issues.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew all pending appeals, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these issues.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea syndromes, arthritis of the left knee as secondary to degenerative changes in the bilateral ankles, and arthritis of the right knee as secondary to degenerative changes in the bilateral ankles. The claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied.
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