The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is found to be secondary to his service-connected right patella injury with traumatic arthritis. His post operative residuals, injury of the right patella with traumatic arthritis, are currently rated at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis was likely due to a combination of factors including an incomplete spinal cord injury and age-related changes, but also noted his spastic gait pattern caused by his right knee instability as contributing causative factors.
- Claimed conditions
- Left knee osteoarthritis, Right patella injury with traumatic arthritis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 16, 2011
- Citation
- 1110523
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 1110523.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee and left knee, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to potential toxic exposure in service.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee meniscal tear with osteoarthritis rating was restored to 40%, and an effective date of July 26, 2013, for SMC based on need for aid and attendance was granted. The intermediate rate SMC effective date also aligns with this date.
- Denied
The January 17, 2013 rating decision denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Board found that while the Veteran could not return to his previous employment as a plumber, he was capable of sedentary employment and therefore had not established clear and unmistakable error in denying his TDIU claim.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed because the July 3, 2024, Rating Decision only proposed to combine ratings for bilateral shin splints and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran did not properly identify issues he was appealing.
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