The Board has granted a higher rating of 20 percent for instability as a residual of a partial tear of the right medial collateral ligament of the right knee, effective from November 16, 2001. The initial 10 percent disability rating for degenerative changes of the right knee remains in place.
The deciding factor: The August 2004 VA examination report showed significant degenerative joint disease and a possible medial collateral ligament tear, warranting a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5257.
- Claimed conditions
- partial tear of the right medial collateral ligament, degenerative changes of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 1, 2006
- Citation
- 0602801
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,196 · Granted: 17% (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 0602801.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's pes planus was granted service connection. The Board has ordered remand for further development regarding other bilateral lower extremity disabilities and the relationship between these conditions and his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis and pes planus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions, as well as for further development regarding other issues. The Veteran will also receive a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing all pending claims.
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