An increased rating of 20 percent for the right knee instability disability from July 19, 2008 to October 28, 2010 is granted. The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a lower back disorder as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability and an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for the right knee limitation of flexion disability from August 22, 2007 are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's right knee instability disability more nearly approximated moderate instability warranting a 20% disability rating under Diagnostic Code 5257. The decision also noted that the VA examinations for the back disorder and the right knee limitation of flexion disability were inadequate, leading to their remand.
- Claimed conditions
- Right knee instability, Lower back disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19184859
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for right knee instability and a 20 percent rating for painful and/or limited motion of the right knee, but denied a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.
- Denied
The Board denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's left hamstring and right knee conditions, as well as a TDIU claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for left and right knee instability and limitation of flexion due to an inadequate VA examination.
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