The Veteran's claim for a separate rating for left tibia and fibula impairment is granted, with an evaluation of 30 percent effective August 20, 2024.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran had recurrent instability after surgical repair resulting in recurrent dislocation, limitation of extension, and limitation of flexion. The Board found these symptoms to meet the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5271 (prior to February 7, 2021) or Diagnostic Code 5261 (as of February 7, 2021).
- Claimed conditions
- Left tibia and fibula impairment, Chondromalacia of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 8, 2025
- Citation
- 25000260
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,874 · Granted: 33% (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 25000260.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 20 percent rating for left knee chondromalacia under Diagnostic Code 5258, effective January 4, 2001.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's chondromalacia of the right knee and chondromalacia of the left knee.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from April 4, 2009, to July 9, 2015.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, except that it granted a 10 percent rating for instability of the right knee prior to September 28, 2018, and a 20 percent rating from that date. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for instability of the left knee.
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