The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right and left knee disabilities, as well as maxillary sinusitis, were denied. The Board found that the current 10 percent evaluations adequately reflected the severity of the Veteran's conditions.,A separate claim for service connection for headaches was also denied due to insufficient evidence linking any headache disorder to service or a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and treatment records did not provide sufficient evidence to support higher ratings, as the knee disabilities were found to be productive of flexion within normal limits without significant limitation. The maxillary sinusitis was also rated based on its current manifestations.,For the headaches claim, there was insufficient evidence linking any headache disorder to service or a service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Patellar Bursitis with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Left Knee Patellar Bursitis with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Maxillary Sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2011
- Citation
- 1108884
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 1108884.
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 service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and back conditions, precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to July 9, 2018.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful occupation prior to June 1, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal involves multiple surgical procedures and their potential impact on his conditions. The Board has ordered a remand to obtain Social Security Administration disability benefits records, as the record shows SSA disability benefits but there is no evidence of such in the VA file.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for PTSD, finding new and material evidence. The claims for service connection for lower back pain, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes, migraines, tinnitus, and maxillary sinusitis have been granted.
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.