The Veteran's left knee instability and degenerative joint disease have been granted a 20 percent disability rating, but the appeal for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for left knee instability is remanded. The Veteran's degenerative joint disease has also been granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner noted that the Veteran’s left knee flexion was limited to 120 degrees and extension to 120 degrees, with pain on flexion but no additional loss of range of motion after repetitive use testing or during flare-ups. The Veteran reported daily pain in the left knee aggravated by prolonged standing.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Instability, Degenerative Joint Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19188148
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,092 · Granted: 42% (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 19188148.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities have been rated and denied for increased ratings, with some conditions receiving specific disability ratings. The Veteran is granted a 60% rating for her total right knee replacement from September 4, 2015 onwards, but the other claims are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance claims have been granted effective from November 23, 2019.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's increased rating claims for his lumbar and cervical spine conditions.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board will consider all submitted evidence, including any new evidence provided by the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's hypertension, left knee flexion limitation, and instability of the left knee are all rated at their maximum allowable under VA regulations. The right knee scar is not compensable. The Board has remanded for further examination to determine the severity of these conditions without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
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