The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered her unable to secure and follow substantially gainful occupation consistent with her educational and occupational background.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, while disabling, do not render her unemployable as she is able to engage in sedentary employment due to her PTSD symptoms and the need to be a conservator over her mother’s affairs.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Knee, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Knee, Residual Surgical Scar of the Right Knee, Residual Scars of the Left and Right Knees
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2017
- Citation
- 1704425
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1704425.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's left knee instability and limitation of extension associated with degenerative joint disease are rated at 20 percent from June 14, 2010 to January 11, 2016.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee is being remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Board finds that additional evidence and a new medical opinion are needed to properly assess the severity of the Veteran's condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's right knee condition is rated at 30 percent for the period beginning February 2, 2024. The rating was denied as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The case is remanded due to insufficient information regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee recurrent subluxation at the December 2022 VA examination, and further development is needed.
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