The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to conflicting findings regarding his right knee total arthroplasty, as well as issues related to degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis and lumbar fusion. The Veteran is also entitled to a rating in excess of 60 percent for his right knee total arthroplasty on and after November 1, 2013.
The deciding factor: The Board found conflicting findings regarding the severity of the Veteran's right knee total arthroplasty and remanded for further examination. The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Total Arthroplasty, Degenerative Disc Disease with Spondylolisthesis and Lumbar Fusion (both lower extremities), Lumbar Radiculopathy (right and left)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21012730
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 21012730.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating, and he is capable of performing substantially gainful employment.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right knee disability and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (LLE) was denied. The right knee disability is rated at 60 percent, effective December 30, 2022.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for residuals of total right knee replacement was denied. However, the Veteran received a grant of service connection for right knee numbness (external popliteal nerve) with a 20% disability rating effective July 24, 2018.
- Denied
The Veteran's right knee total arthroplasty is not rated higher than 30 percent from January 1, 2015, to February 5, 2018. For the period beginning December 5, 2011, and thereafter, a separate compensable rating under diagnostic code 5257 is denied.
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