The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left knee scars was denied, with the effective date set at September 7, 2016.,Prior to September 7, 2016, he did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The Board found that as of September 7, 2016, his service-connected left knee scars warranted a 20 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected left knee scars were shown to be painful and unstable beginning on September 7, 2016. Prior to this date, the scars did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee arthritis, left knee scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19102432
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right and left knee, shoulder, and knee scars disabilities, as well as a compensable disability rating for hypertension.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (r)(2) level due to his service-connected disabilities requiring a higher level of care.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable evaluation of the left knee scar, and the Board dismissed the claim.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left and right knee locking, but remanded evaluations greater than 10 percent for bilateral knee limitation of flexion, limitation of extension, and scars.
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