The Veteran's right knee disability and bilateral foot disabilities have been granted, with effective dates set at July 22, 2011. However, his request for higher ratings or earlier effective dates has been denied.
The deciding factor: The effective date of the service connection grants is set at the earliest allowable date due to lack of prior claims, and a separate rating for instability was granted but not for more severe levels as it would violate the amputation rule. The Veteran's request for higher ratings or earlier effective dates were denied.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Disability (Total Knee Replacement), Right Foot Hallux Valgus, Right Foot Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- August 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19161060
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 19161060.
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 Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right and left hip arthritis, right and left hand arthritis, right and left shoulder arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, and lumbar spine arthritis. The claims for right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot arthritis were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right and left foot disorders due to inadequate opinions regarding the onset of current diagnoses.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for a separate rating of 30 percent for bilateral pes planus and 10 percent ratings each for left foot hallux valgus and right foot hallux valgus, effective January 29, 2010.
- Denied
The Board found no evidence of a right foot condition in service or within the presumptive period, and concluded that the current arthritis is not related to service.
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