The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to March 7, 2011 and a separate rating of 10 percent for instability is granted. A higher rating is not warranted.,From May 1, 2012 onwards (excluding the period of temporary total rating), the Veteran's right knee disability post-total knee arthroplasty was rated at 30 percent. The Board has remanded this issue.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261, as there is no limitation of motion or instability that warrants a higher rating.,There are no chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the right knee post-total knee arthroplasty, which would warrant a 60 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5055.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Degenerative Changes, Right Total Knee Arthroplasty
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18129619
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 18129619.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
Effective September 1, 2019, the Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The Board has restored a 60 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected right total knee arthroplasty, effective April 1, 2021, as the evidence did not show material improvement in the disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an effective date earlier than May 1, 2020 for the assignment of a 60 percent disability rating for the service-connected right total knee arthroplasty and for the grant of a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU). The remand is due to issues with the adequacy of the January 2020 VA examination.
- Granted
The Board has granted increased ratings of 60 percent for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, effective from the date of the decision. The issue of entitlement to a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.
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