The Board denied a separate rating for left knee instability after February 7, 2021, as the provisions of Diagnostic Code 5055 do not allow for such a rating when total knee replacement is already assigned.
The deciding factor: The provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5055 do not direct that a separate rating may be assigned for knee instability when total knee replacement is already in place.
- Claimed conditions
- Left knee instability, Left total knee arthroplasty residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 24, 2021
- Citation
- 21070587
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 21070587.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of June 17, 2010 for service connection and separate ratings for right knee instability and left knee instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not properly before it due to procedural errors and remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and bilateral knee conditions, have precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating for the period beginning April 5, 2020.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee disability and instability are rated at 20 percent for the entire appeal period, with a separate rating of 10 percent for instability.
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