The Veteran's right knee patellar tendonitis and left knee chondromalacia patella (post-surgery) are each rated at the maximum 40 percent under their respective diagnostic codes. The Board has not found additional factors warranting higher ratings.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not find evidence of instability or subluxation, which would have warranted a separate rating for limitation of flexion. The Veteran's knee disabilities are rated based on motion-based criteria and do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under DCs 5260 (limitation of flexion) or 5261 (limitation of extension).
- Claimed conditions
- Patellar tendonitis, Chondromalacia patella
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- November 9, 2021
- Citation
- A21018048
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 A21018048.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's right and left knee patella tendon repairs, with painful motion, have been granted increased ratings of 20 percent each. The instability in both knees has also been rated at 10 percent.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability, including patellofemoral pain syndrome and patellar tendonitis, has been rated at 10 percent since June 6, 2022. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.
- Granted
The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's rating for his right knee disability from 40% to 10% effective October 1, 2019 was proper based on improvement in his ability to function under ordinary conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability was denied, and the claim for TDIU was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran's current level of functional impairment did not warrant a higher rating.
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