The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of service connection for a left arm or shoulder disorder was granted, and the appeal is granted to this extent only. The initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for right knee DJD based on limited range of motion and left knee DJD based on limited range of motion are denied.
The deciding factor: The July 2019 VA examination indicated that flexion was limited to 70 degrees in the right knee and 50 degrees in the left knee during a flare-up, which does not meet the criteria for higher ratings under DC 5260.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Arm/Shoulder Disability, Right Knee Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), Left Knee DJD
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- February 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20012734
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 20012734.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) or special home adaptation (SHA) grant due to his respiratory disability, which is presumed by the PACT Act. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a permanent and total disability resulting in anatomical loss of use of both hands, burns, or residuals of an inhalational injury.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee DJD limitation of extension is rated at 30 percent, and his right knee instability is rated at 20 percent from April 17, 2017. The higher rating for the instability was granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee DJD and instability prior to December 19, 2023, and on or after that date have been denied. The RO found the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to December 19, 2023, and in excess of 50 percent thereafter.
- Granted
The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 12, 2017 for the grant of service connection for right knee instability. The Veteran's claim was initially denied in August 2017 but new and material evidence was submitted within a year, leading to a separate rating for right knee instability.
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