The Veteran's DJD of the left and right knees has worsened, reflecting moderate degenerative changes manifested by chronic pain, periodic swelling, stiffness, locking episodes, bilateral knee crepitus, effusion, and x-ray findings consistent with significant medial compartment narrowing. The Board finds that a 20 percent rating is warranted for each knee since February 22, 2008.
The deciding factor: The VA examination reports consistently indicated moderate degenerative changes in both knees, including pain, swelling, stiffness, and crepitus, which are consistent with DJD. The Veteran's symptoms have worsened over time, warranting a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the left knee, Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 25, 2013
- Citation
- 1310060
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 1310060.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee DJD from October 1, 2008 to August 30, 2010 due to the lack of evidence showing limitation of flexion or extension that would warrant a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected DJD of the left knee and left knee lateral instability, from December 15, 2009, to September 5, 2014.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to obtain a new VA medical opinion regarding the severity of the left knee DJD without the ameliorative effects of medication during the limited appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for DJD and instability of both knees but granted separate 20 percent ratings for dislocated semilunar cartilage in the left and right knees.
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