The Veteran's left knee disability, including locking, limitation of flexion and extension, is rated at 20 percent prior to December 15, 2015. Since February 1, 2017, the Veteran's postoperative residuals of total left knee replacement are rated at 60 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and treatment records consistently documented frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion in the left knee prior to December 15, 2015. The March 2018 VA examination also noted significant functional loss due to pain during flexion and extension of the left knee.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- August 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19162614
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 19162614.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is entitled to an earlier effective date of February 29, 2000, for an award of TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected back and left knee disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted clothing allowances for a back brace and wheelchair, but denied them for a neck brace, bilateral knee braces, pain medication therapy, cane, and walker.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left knee instability and limitation of flexion was denied. The evidence showed that the Veteran had a range of motion from 0 to 130 degrees, which is considered abnormal given the normal range is 0 to 140 degrees. However, this did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DC 5260.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for cervical spine, bilateral shoulders, bilateral knees, and bilateral hips due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's attorney raised secondary service-connection issues.
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