The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the left knee, right knee, and right ankle tendonitis have been granted increased ratings. The left knee is rated at 30% effective December 16, 2018. The right knee is rated at 30% effective June 15, 2020 for lateral instability. The right ankle tendonitis is rated at 30% effective December 16, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms of painful motion and flare-ups resulted in functional capacity equivalent to flexion limited to 15 degrees in the bilateral knees, which meets the criteria for a 30% rating under Diagnostic Code 5260. For the right knee, subjective moderate instability was found by the VA examiner, warranting a separate 20% rating under Diagnostic Code 5257.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Arthritis of the Left Knee, Degenerative Arthritis of the Right Knee, Right Ankle Tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- August 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20057268
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 20057268.
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 Board denied service connection for a right ankle disorder, including degenerative joint disease and tendonitis. The appeal was also denied for increased ratings for right lower extremity shin splints with painful motion of the right knee and left lower extremity shin splints.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection and initial disability ratings for obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and degenerative arthritis of the right knee to correct duty to assist errors.
- Partly granted
The Board granted presumptive service connection for sinusitis due to in-service exposure to fine particulate matter, and increased the rating for right shoulder degenerative joint disease with rotator cuff tendinopathy status post arthroscopic Mumford procedure and right ankle tendonitis.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, as well as left ankle strain.
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