The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the knees and ankles have been denied as there is no evidence that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating during the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations conducted throughout the appeal period did not show any findings that would warrant a higher evaluation, with the exception of some pain and stiffness reported by the Veteran. The X-rays were all unremarkable, indicating no significant joint space narrowing or effusion.
- Claimed conditions
- Osteoarthritis of the Right Knee, Osteoarthritis of the Left Knee, Osteoarthritis of the Right Ankle, Osteoarthritis of the Left Ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 14, 2017
- Citation
- 1732911
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 1732911.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood, along with other service-connected disabilities, has rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. Effective January 28, 2020, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on these conditions. Additionally, effective January 28, 2020, he is also granted SMC at the housebound rate due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, hypertension as secondary to PTSD is granted, and the Veteran is granted TDIU based on her service-connected PTSD. Osteoarthritis of the right knee is not related to service, but she is granted SMC due to her service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, which prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee disability, including from patellofemoral syndrome to osteoarthritis and subsequent surgeries, warrants a rating of 60 percent since March 29, 2019.
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