The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or arthritis.
The deciding factor: The veteran's left knee disability is limited to chondromalacia patella and moderate degenerative arthritis with some limitation of flexion but no more than slight instability. The symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation under any applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondromalacia Patella, Moderate Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 17, 2006
- Citation
- 0614455
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,377 · 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 0614455.
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 claim for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder and Chondromalacia Patella was reopened on May 23, 2011. A VA mental disorders examination confirmed the diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and assigned a 50 percent disability rating effective from May 23, 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right knee disability is not rated higher than 10 percent due to limited flexion. The claim for increased rating remains pending and will be remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia patella is rated at 20 percent, effective September 18, 2023, for instability. The rating is granted based on the current evidence of moderate instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for right knee instability since August 15, 2019. The issue of a higher rating for chondromalacia patella of the right knee is remanded due to incomplete records.
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.