The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left total knee arthroplasty and sciatic radiculopathy of the lower extremities, resulted in permanent effective loss of use of one or both feet. The Board granted eligibility for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile due to this finding.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, combined with worsening nonservice-connected conditions, led to significant functional impairment resulting in effective loss of use of his feet.
- Claimed conditions
- left total knee arthroplasty, anterolisthesis, L4 on L5, degenerative basis, sciatic radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19185693
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,036 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19185693.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to issues being intertwined with other claims, and will be reconsidered once those claims are resolved.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee status post total knee replacement, left total knee arthroplasty, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, but remanded claims for higher ratings of the knee arthroplasties, hip bursitis, lumbar spine disability, and TDIU.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an initial rating higher than 30 percent for a left total knee arthroplasty due to a duty to assist error regarding outstanding private medical records.
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.