The appeal as to the claims for higher ratings for service-connected lower back disability, left knee injury prior to August 14, 2013, and left total knee arthroplasty is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of left knee injury from August 14, 2013 onwards is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the higher rating for service-connected lower back disability prior to the promulgation of an appellate decision.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease (lower back disability), residuals of left knee injury, left total knee arthroplasty
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 11, 2018
- Citation
- 18110125
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 18110125.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to issues being intertwined with other claims, and will be reconsidered once those claims are resolved.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's residuals of left knee injury, finding that it is related to his active duty training (ACDUTRA) in June 1986.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee status post total knee replacement, left total knee arthroplasty, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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