The Board has restored a 20 percent evaluation for left knee instability effective May 1, 2014. The reduction from 20% to 10% was improper due to the Veteran's persistent left knee instability.
The deciding factor: The VA reduced the Veteran’s rating from 20% to 10%, but this reduction was not proper as there is no evidence of sustained improvement in the Veteran's left knee condition prior to the April 2013 examination.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee instability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20068873
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,242 · Granted: 24% (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 20068873.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied increased disability ratings for left knee limitation of flexion and left knee instability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
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