The Veteran's initial claims for left knee and back disabilities were denied due to lack of qualifying service. After additional records were associated, the VA granted service connection effective August 11, 2019. The Veteran received increased ratings for his left knee disability but was denied higher ratings.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support granting a higher rating based on the severity of the Veteran's conditions and symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Meniscal Disorder, Left Knee Replacement Residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19159628
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,776 · Granted: 24% (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 19159628.
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 Veteran is rendered unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected knee and lumbar spine disabilities from October 2, 2015 to December 1, 2015, June 20, 2016 to September 1, 2016, July 19, 2017 to September 1, 2018, and April 10, 2019 to June 1, 2019.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee and hip disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment from January 12, 2012 to May 28, 2021.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for residuals of total left knee replacement, finding that his residuals did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on severe painful motion or weakness.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee replacement residuals are not shown to warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent, but he is entitled to a separate 20 percent disability rating for moderate instability.
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.