The Veteran's left knee disability, including a torn anterior attachment of the medial meniscus and degenerative arthritis, warrants a separate 20 percent rating for cartilage/meniscus damage consistent with frequent findings of locking and pain throughout the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s symptoms included frequent episodes of joint 'locking' and pain, which are indicative of cartilage/meniscus damage. The Board granted a separate 20 percent rating for this condition based on these findings.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Meniscal Tear, Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19191423
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 19191423.
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's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea and back disability, preclude his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from March 19, 2025.
- Denied
The appeal of a proposed reduction of the evaluation of left knee meniscal tear, status post arthroscopic repair with chondromalacia, to include degenerative arthritis from 20 percent to 10 percent is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected left knee disability was also denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent and 20 percent for left knee meniscal tear, finding that the Veteran's range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, including degenerative disc disease, degenerative arthritis, spondylolisthesis, and compression fracture at L2, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.
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