The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the award of a 20% rating for limitation of extension of his right knee. The Board finds that no such claim was pending prior to April 20, 2015 and thus denies the request for an earlier effective date.
The deciding factor: No evidence shows an increase in disability within one year prior to the Veteran's April 20, 2015 claim for a higher rating. The effective date is therefore set at the date of his claim on April 20, 2015.
- Claimed conditions
- Right knee chondromalacia, Impairment of right shoulder with degenerative arthritis (minor arm)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19129705
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,812 · Granted: 30% (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 19129705.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded for further evaluation due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its onset and etiology.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his right knee disability from April 16, 2013 to March 15, 2016 was denied as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or more.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and readjudication due to non-compliance with previous remand instructions.
- Denied
The Board denied disability ratings in excess of the current 20 percent for degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine post laminectomy, 20 percent for residuals of a fractured right clavicle, 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia, and 10 percent for residuals of a right wrist fracture.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.