The Board denied the Veteran's earlier effective date claim for his left eye scar, as August 29, 2011 is considered the earliest available effective date.,The reduction of the Veteran's left knee rating from 50% to 30% was found proper based on improvement in his condition since October 27, 2016 when he underwent total knee replacement.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date for the left eye scar prior to August 29, 2011.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Eye Scar, Left Knee Degenerative Joint Disease Post Total Knee Arthroplasty
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- February 23, 2022
- Citation
- 22010235
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 22010235.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's left eye scar from February 28, 2012. The appeal is denied for ratings in excess of 10 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of his left knee, left ankle, and right shoulder disabilities. Additionally, a medical opinion is needed regarding the impact of all service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to obtain and maintain employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and other disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 8, 2014.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's left eye scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic codes, as it is one inch in length and well-healed without associated tissue loss or disfigurement.
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