The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder and granted it. The Veteran was diagnosed with right knee chondromalacia patella, which is considered an early manifestation of degenerative joint disease (arthritis). Service connection is granted as direct service connection due to current diagnoses.
The deciding factor: The April 2014 VA examination report provided a diagnosis of right knee chondromalacia patella, which the Board found to be equivalent to arthritis. As this condition was diagnosed during service and is considered a form of arthritis under VA regulations, it qualifies for direct service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Chondromalacia Patella, Right Hip Myofascial Muscular Syndrome, Right Foot Haglund Deformity with Achilles Tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2016
- Citation
- 1642864
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 1642864.
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 Veteran's right knee disability is granted an increased rating of 60 percent, effective November 3, 2020. The earlier effective date for the 60 percent rating and the grant of service connection for right knee scars are also granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for an unspecified anxiety disorder was denied, and the case is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 20 percent for right knee chondromalacia patella and 10 percent for right knee degenerative joint disease are also remanded due to a duty to assist error.,Additional VA medical records related to the Veteran's knees need to be obtained, and a retrospective addendum opinion is required.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia and recurrent subluxation with instability have been granted increased ratings, but the limitation of extension has not met criteria for a higher rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. Service connection for IBS was not granted, while the Veteran's left hand arthritis, long finger arthritis, thumb arthritis, strictureplasty scar, right knee chondromalacia patella, and left knee chondromalacia patella all remained at noncompensable levels.
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