The Veteran's left knee disability, prior to November 28, 2016, was rated at 20 percent for limitation of motion and a separate 20 percent rating for dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of 'locking', pain, and effusion. The right knee scars were rated at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left knee disability prior to November 28, 2016, met the criteria for a separate rating under DC 5258 due to dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of 'locking', pain, and effusion. The right knee scars were rated at 10 percent as they did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on deep and nonlinear scars or multiple unstable or painful scars.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee strain, left total knee replacement, right knee scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19195928
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 19195928.
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 Board granted service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, right wrist strain, and TBI. The Veteran's PTSD rating was remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including the failure to obtain relevant treatment records and provide adequate VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hip and knee disabilities, as well as a TDIU claim, to ensure adequate VA examinations are conducted.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left hip iliopsoas tendonitis, right knee strain, and left knee strain as secondary to lumbosacral strain. Service connection was also granted for cannabis use disorder as secondary to mental health conditions of PTSD, major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, and TBI. However, the Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and granted a separate disability rating of 40 percent for TBI.
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