The Veteran's right and left knees are each rated at 20 percent for moderate instability, with no higher ratings granted. Service connection has been established for a bilateral hip disorder as secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations consistently showed moderate instability in both knees, warranting the highest available rating under DC 5257 (moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability). The Veteran's bilateral hip disorder is considered secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Degenerative Joint Disease, Left Knee Degenerative Joint Disease, Bilateral Hip Disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 7, 2010
- Citation
- 1013289
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 1013289.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and dismissed the claim for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease. The claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, headache disability, and obstructive sleep apnea were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and tinnitus. The claims for increased ratings for right shoulder degenerative arthritis, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative joint disease, and right knee degenerative arthritis were denied. An effective date of April 23, 2021, was granted for the award of a 100 percent evaluation for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to determine the impacts of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his ability to care for himself and his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at a 60 percent rating since June 2016, which includes chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness. The maximum available rating for this condition is granted.
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