The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities were denied. The left knee and right knee disabilities are rated based on their current manifestations, with separate ratings assigned for semilunar cartilage dysfunction.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not show any new or material evidence to reopen the claim, and the Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (Left Knee), Instability of Left Knee, Degenerative Joint Disease (Right Knee), Instability of Right Knee (prior to April 3, 2015), Semilunar Cartilage Dysfunction (Left Knee) - Effective February 9, 2010, Semilunar Cartilage Dysfunction (Right Knee) - From February 9, 2010 to May 19, 2020
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 10, 2020
- Citation
- A20018325
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 A20018325.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and an increased rating for other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder. The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of multiple joints were remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 100% from January 1, 2022 to August 31, 2022. A rating in excess of 60 percent for the period from September 1, 2022, is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that Hepatitis C is service connected, but the issues of right knee and left knee disabilities are being remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative joint disease of the left knee was withdrawn. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as schizophrenia and PTSD, has been reopened.,A 20 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the right knee with limitation of flexion is restored from August 12, 2018. A separate 10 percent rating for right knee limitation of extension is granted since December 3, 2018. A 30 percent rating for subluxation of the right knee is granted starting from December 3, 2018.
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