The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for left knee degenerative changes, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The degree of additional limitation reflected by the Veteran's lay reports and examination findings did not result in flexion limited to 30 degrees or more.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee degenerative changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20070263
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.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claim for left knee degenerative changes was granted as secondary to service-connected right ankle tendonitis. The claim for eye disability was remanded for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent or 20 percent for various conditions, including left ear hearing loss, hypertension, GERD, cervical spine degenerative joints with herniated nucleus pulposus, lumbar spine herniated nucleus pulpous with radiculitis down posterior leg, right knee effusion/degenerative changes, left knee degenerative changes, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability for the period prior to March 7, 2011 based on his service-connected rheumatic heart disease and left knee degenerative changes.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.,Service connection for hearing loss is denied as the Veteran does not meet the regulatory requirements for hearing loss under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.
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