The Veteran's bilateral knee DJD has been evaluated at 10% since December 1, 2008. The VA examinations have consistently shown flexion limited to around 100 degrees in both knees, which does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Codes 5260 or 5261.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's range of motion in his bilateral knee DJD has been consistently within normal limits (flexion up to 140 degrees), with flexion limited to around 100 degrees, which does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Codes 5260 or 5261.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the right knee, Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 5, 2018
- Citation
- 1800790
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 1800790.
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 Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected DJD of the left knee and left knee lateral instability, from December 15, 2009, to September 5, 2014.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to obtain a new VA medical opinion regarding the severity of the left knee DJD without the ameliorative effects of medication during the limited appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for DJD and instability of both knees but granted separate 20 percent ratings for dislocated semilunar cartilage in the left and right knees.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee DJD resulted in chronic pain and limitation of flexion to at most 90 degrees, even with flare-ups. A separate rating for limitation of extension was granted effective December 20, 2017.
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