The Veteran's service-connected left knee and lower extremity disabilities did not prevent her from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period from November 3, 2016 to October 16, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's work history and limitations due to non-service connected conditions were more significant in preventing her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation than her service-connected disabilities alone.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee chondromalacia patella, degenerative joint disease status post total left knee replacement and arthroscopic repair, neuropathy, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21063294
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21063294.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on statutory housebound status due to her service-connected conditions and additional nonservice-connected disabilities, finding that she did not meet the criteria for SMC.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as her eligibility for VA health care benefits and enrollment in a Priority Group higher than Priority Group 8 has already been granted due to the combined disability rating of 50 percent.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia patella is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that the condition did not warrant a compensable rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261, as his range of motion was within normal limits with some pain but no instability.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claims of service connection for neuropathy, left and right lower extremities are remanded.
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