The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disability and residuals of lipoma excision, as well as his claim for TDIU. The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 20 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5258, which is the maximum available rating for dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking, pain and effusion into the joint. His residuals of lipoma excision were not shown to meet any compensable criteria under the applicable diagnostic codes.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 20 percent disabling based on limitation of flexion and extension, as well as instability, which are considered separately from each other under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261. The Veteran's residuals of lipoma excision were not shown to meet any compensable criteria under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Blocked artery of the left leg, Degenerative joint disease of the left knee, Residuals of lipoma excision of the left thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 2, 2016
- Citation
- 1617516
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 1617516.
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 right and left knee braces caused wear and tear to his clothing in the year of 2021, leading to a decision granting annual clothing allowances for both knee braces.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to inconsistencies in the January 2022 VA examination reports and a need for clarification regarding the Veteran's intent when filing his Notice of Disagreement. The AOJ is directed to schedule new examinations, obtain retrospective medical opinions, and clarify the severity of the Veteran's disabilities during the relevant period on appeal.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for eligibility for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the criteria for a qualifying total service-connected disability rating or loss of use of lower extremities.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knee, osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, a right shoulder condition, and intervertebral disc disorder of the spine as there is no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.
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.