The Veteran's service-connected right ankle, right knee laxity, left knee laxity, right knee chronic strain, and left knee DJD disabilities have been evaluated as 20% for the right ankle disability, 10% each for right and left knee laxity, and 10% each for right and left knee chronic strain and DJD. The Board denied increased ratings for all of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show ankylosis or other factors that would warrant higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Recurrent right ankle sprain and avulsion fracture with degenerative joint disease and instability (a right ankle disability), Right knee laxity, Left knee laxity, Right knee chronic strain, Left knee degenerative joint disease (DJD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20003757
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 882 · Granted: 17% (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 20003757.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since January 23, 2013. The Board has granted a determination of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) with an effective date of January 23, 2013.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted service connection for insomnia, COPD, and right and left knee degenerative joint diseases. The claim for an earlier effective date for insomnia was denied, but a 50 percent rating was assigned for the entire period on appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his service-connected right and left knee conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of February 9, 2009. The Board found that the Veteran was unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities prior to February 29, 2012.
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.