The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and depression disorder have been sufficiently incapacitating as to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, resulting in a TDIU rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and depression disorder produce unemployability due to their severe impact on his ability to perform sedentary work.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondromalacia of the right knee with degenerative arthritis, Chondromalacia of the left knee with degenerative arthritis and instability, Limitation of flexion, right knee, Limitation of flexion, left knee, Depression disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 24, 2021
- Citation
- 21010053
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 21010053.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for cervical and thoracolumbar spine strains, TMJ disorder, dermatitis of the face, right knee chondromalacia grade II with patellar tendonitis, medial meniscal derangement, and Baker's cyst, and bilateral hearing loss. However, service connection was granted for radicular pain paresthesia of the right upper extremity.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, dismissed claims for service connection for anxiety disorder and depression due to improper claims processing, and remanded claims for service connection for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and right ear hearing loss.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety, depression, and a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) but denied service connection for an insomnia disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a VA psychiatric examination to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on whether any diagnosed conditions are related to service or verified stressors.
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