The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by full flexion and extension with objective evidence of crepitation and subjective reports of pain, was found to warrant a 10% rating prior to October 13, 2010.
The deciding factor: The medical findings supported the Veteran's complaints of flare-ups of pain with activities such as running, climbing stairs, and prolonged sitting, along with objective patellar crepitation. However, no additional or higher ratings were warranted based on the lack of limitation in range of motion or other diagnostic codes applicable to knee disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- patellar chondromalacia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 3, 2014
- Citation
- 1444192
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 1444192.
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 Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left knee disability and limited extension was denied. The left knee disability was rated at 10 percent from June 5, 2008 to May 31, 2017, based on painful arthritis with flexion limited no worse than 95 degrees. For the initial rating period of July 1, 2010 to May 31, 2017, left knee extension was rated at 0 percent due to limitation of motion not reaching a compensable degree.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified a pre-decisional duty to assist error in the February 2019 rating decision and has remanded both issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating for left knee osteoarthritis and patellar chondromalacia, and entitlement to SMC based on aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's March 2011 left knee surgery was not performed on a service-connected disability, and therefore he is not entitled to a temporary total rating for convalescence.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability, including strain, degenerative joint disease, patellar chondromalacia, and meniscal tear, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to limited flexion (to at most 90 degrees) and no instability or locking.
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