The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) because the Veteran's single service-connected left knee disability, rated at 30% and later 40%, does not meet the criteria for TDIU under schedular or extraschedular standards. The appeal is based on his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his left knee disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's only service-connected condition, Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the left knee, does not meet the criteria for TDIU as it is rated at 40% and does not exceed 60%. The Board found that the economic component was met but the noneconomic component was not, due to the Veteran’s physical limitations caused by his left knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- November 15, 2024
- Citation
- 24033073
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,902 · Granted: 11% (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 24033073.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, ocular migraines, neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, bilateral shoulder disability, low back disability, and Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the left knee. The Board found no evidence that these conditions were related to active service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity that they preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU for the entire appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for Osgood-Schlatter's disease of both knees, headaches, visual floaters, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc disorder (DDD), photophobia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a neck condition due to outstanding VA treatment records.
- Denied
The Veteran’s claims for increased ratings were denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.