The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU were denied. The left knee instability was granted, but the meniscal tear and limitation of motion claims remained denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations consistently reported no ankylosis or significant instability, with flexion limited to at least 60 degrees and extension not restricted beyond 5 degrees.
- Claimed conditions
- Meniscal tear of the left knee, Limitation of motion of the left knee, Left knee instability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 4, 2024
- Citation
- 24000753
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24000753.
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 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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