The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at 10 percent each, with no higher ratings possible based on the current evidence. The Veteran’s rheumatic fever disability is currently not rated due to lack of associated joint impairment.,Rheumatic fever residuals need further evaluation by a VA examiner to determine if they warrant a compensable rating.
The deciding factor: The current evidence does not support higher ratings for the knee disabilities, as the Veteran's range of motion is within the limits that would justify a higher rating. The rheumatic fever disability remains unassessed due to lack of associated joint impairment.,Rheumatic fever residuals need further evaluation by a VA examiner to determine if they warrant a compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee retropatellar pain syndrome, left knee retropatellar pain syndrome, rheumatic fever
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20001273
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,569 · Granted: 26% (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 20001273.
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 claims for service connection for left ankle strain, right ankle strain, and right knee retropatellar pain syndrome were denied as there is no evidence of entitlement prior to the date of receipt of his claim on February 8, 2008.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim. The initial rating for left knee retropatellar pain syndrome prior to April 22, 2023 is denied. A separate 20 percent rating is granted for limitation of extension of the left knee. An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee retropatellar pain syndrome (limitation of flexion) from April 22, 2023 is denied but a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260 is granted. The Veteran's right wrist strain disability remains at the maximum schedular rating.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from January 1, 2017 to October 27, 2017 due to service-connected disabilities. The temporary total evaluation for convalescence was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a higher initial rating for right shoulder bursitis with degenerative joint disease and right knee retropatellar pain syndrome, as well as the claim for TDIU due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.
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