The Veteran's left knee total arthroplasty is currently rated at 30 percent prior to July 10, 2019, and 40 percent thereafter. The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate explanation of why intermediate degrees of weakness, pain or limitation of motion do not warrant a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left knee symptoms have been rated based on residual weakness, pain, or limitation of motion rather than severe manifestations as required by Diagnostic Code 5055 for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Total Arthroplasty
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2021
- Citation
- 21015350
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 21015350.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected knee and back disabilities render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU based on this finding.
- 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 service-connected disabilities do not render him substantially confined to his dwelling, the immediate premises, a ward or clinical area of an institution due to a service-connected condition. He does not have one disability that is rated as totally disabling and an additional disability or disabilities that are independently rated or ratable as at least 60 percent disabling.
- Denied
The Veteran's right and left knee total arthroplasties have not resulted in severe painful motion or weakness, as required for a higher evaluation. The current evaluations of 30% are deemed appropriate.
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