The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating in excess of 30 percent for history of heat stroke was denied due to the frequency and severity of his headaches not meeting the criteria for a higher rating. The right knee and left knee disorders were also denied as they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's conditions did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes, with no evidence of severe economic inadaptability from his headaches, and no additional functional loss due to pain, weakness, fatigue, or lack of coordination.
- Claimed conditions
- History of heat stroke manifested by heat intolerance and headaches, Left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease, Right knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19122504
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,480 · 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 19122504.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 10 percent, but a higher evaluation is denied. A separate 10 percent evaluation for recurrent patellar subluxation or dislocation under the pre-amendment criteria for Diagnostic Code 5257 has been granted.
- Granted
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease have been rated at 10 percent each, but the Board found that these ratings are not adequate as they do not account for functional loss due to pain during flare-ups.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded all substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him during the entire claim period from March 13, 2008 through August 30, 2017 and since November 1, 2017.
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