The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 20 percent prior to March 17, 2009 and increased to 60 percent from May 1, 2010. The right knee degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 30 percent. Service connection for low back disability, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and cervical radiculopathy of the right arm are granted as secondary to total left knee arthroplasty.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left knee disability was found to have severe instability post-surgery warranting a 60 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5055. The right knee degenerative joint disease did not meet criteria for higher ratings based on limitation of motion or pain alone.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 5, 2018
- Citation
- 1820856
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 1820856.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds no evidence of clear and unmistakable error in assigning an effective date of June 19, 2002.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to obtain private treatment records from Mays & Schnapp Pain Management and schedule the Veteran for additional medical examinations.
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