The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not warrant increased ratings for any of the periods under consideration.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran's left knee disability, when considering all factors including pain and functional loss due to weakness, was no more than 30 percent disabling during the relevant period. The total knee replacement had been assigned a temporary 100% rating but did not warrant an increased rating post-surgery.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus with the residuals of a fractured left fourth toe, degenerative joint disease of the left knee (previously degenerative arthritis), total left knee replacement
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 10, 2009
- Citation
- 0904684
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0904684.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's left knee disability was granted an increased rating of 60 percent from June 24, 2014 to August 8, 2022 (excluding a temporary total rating period). As of August 9, 2022, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent was denied. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted increased 20 percent ratings for limitation of motion of the left and right knees prior to their respective total knee replacements, but denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for instability of both knees and in excess of 30 percent for total knee replacements.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for total left knee replacement and moderate osteoarthritis of the right knee, to include as secondary to a service-connected condition. The Board also denied effective dates prior to September 22, 2022, for certain disability ratings.
- Whole decision: Granted
The veteran's effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits is granted as of January 8, 2020.
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