The Veteran's left knee disability, including semilunar cartilage condition, limitation of extension, and instability, is rated at a combined 60 percent from May 25, 2010. A TDIU is granted effective January 31, 2011.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left knee disability meets the criteria for separate ratings under DCs 5258 (semilunar cartilage condition), 5261 (limitation of extension), and 5257 (instability). The combined rating is subject to the amputation rule, as all disabilities are at or below the level of the knee. A TDIU is granted due to marginal employment in protected work environment.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee semilunar cartilage condition, left knee degenerative joint disease, left leg shrapnel wound with healed fracture of the tibia and fibula, left lower extremity scar, left knee instability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- January 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20007967
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,772 · Granted: 37% (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 20007967.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability, including without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal as to the issues of entitlement to increased disability ratings for left foot metatarsalgia, tinnitus, left wrist disability, right foot plantar warts, and for service connection for right foot plantar warts at a September 2024 hearing. Service connection was granted for migraines.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU rating.
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