The Veteran's right and left knee chondromalacia with limitation of motion in flexion are granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher. Separate 10 percent ratings for instability are also granted.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the Veteran has limited range of motion in both knees, specifically to 40 degrees and 30 degrees respectively during flare-ups, which corresponds to a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5260. The stability issues were found to be slight instability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Chondromalacia, Left Knee Chondromalacia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20040919
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 20040919.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee instability rating is restored to 20 percent effective November 1, 2019. The initial disability rating for right knee instability remains denied and the increased disability rating for right knee chondromalacia is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee conditions have been denied. The current evaluations for the right knee under DC 5260 are 10 percent, while those for the left knee under DCs 5260 and 5261 are noncompensable.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is not productive of actual or functional flexion limited to 30 degrees, extension limited to 10 degrees, ankylosis, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, patellar instability, dislocated semilunar cartilage, symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage, impairment of the tibia and fibula, medial tibial stress syndrome or shin splints, or genu recurvatum. Therefore, a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia, to include right knee meniscal tear, residuals of meniscectomy, and residuals of right knee arthroplasty is denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's pes planus, left knee lateral meniscus tear, right knee chondromalacia, and left knee chondromalacia were all denied increased ratings. The Veteran was already in receipt of the maximum schedular rating for his left knee lateral meniscus tear.
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