The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the left knee and degenerative joint disease of the right knee, as his range of motion does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners consistently found noncompensable limitation of flexion or extension in both knees, with full extension noted. The Veteran's lay statements and testimony were considered but attributed to nonservice-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Osteoarthritis, left knee, Degenerative joint disease of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2018
- Citation
- 18159965
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 18159965.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development to ensure that the severity of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is accurately assessed without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected left knee and right shoulder disabilities, along with compensation benefits awarded under 38 USC § 1151 for a right bicep detachment during shoulder surgery, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from December 22, 2011 to December 11, 2016.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for the veteran's left and right knee disabilities but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for various conditions, including left eye condition, right eye condition, hypertension, left knee, right knee, obstructive sleep apnea, and coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as denied an earlier effective date for CAD.
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