The Veteran's right knee disability, post-replacement, is rated at 60 percent effective from July 1, 2013.,Effective from May 8, 2013, the Veteran has a service-connected disability rated as total and an additional separate and distinct service-connected disability ratable at 60 percent. The criteria for SMC benefits are met on a continuous basis.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU is moot due to the award of a 60 percent rating for the right knee, which permits the Veteran to receive SMC benefits for the entire appeals period.,The Veteran meets the requirements for automobile and adaptive equipment financial assistance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right knee disability, post-replacement, is manifested by chronic residuals including severe painful motion. The current rating of 60 percent under Diagnostic Code 5055 is appropriate.,The criteria for SMC at the housebound rate are met due to the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities and his need for substantial confinement as a result of these disabilities.,TDIU is moot because the Veteran now has a single disability rated as total (psychiatric) and an additional disability independently rated at 60 percent (right knee).,The Veteran's right knee disability, post-replacement, results in functional loss equivalent to loss of use of the right foot. The criteria for financial assistance are met.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- February 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19107927
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,820 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19107927.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support an etiological relationship between his current condition and his military service.
- 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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