The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his bilateral knee disabilities and service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, thoracic spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome (right wrist), carpal tunnel syndrome (left wrist), and obstructive sleep apnea were denied. The left knee disability was rated as 10% disabling, while the right knee disability remained noncompensable.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not reveal any higher ratings for instability or other complications of the knees that would warrant a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Meniscal tear of the left knee, Lateral instability and ligament tear of the left knee (post-repair)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2025
- Citation
- 25000489
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 281 · Granted: 32% (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 25000489.
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 Veteran's left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and internal derangement, is currently rated at 10 percent. The separate ratings for meniscal tear (20%) and moderate instability (20%) are granted effective September 23, 2013, and February 24, 2020 respectively.,The Veteran's left knee disability does not warrant a higher rating as the flexion limitation is at most 70 degrees, which does not meet the criteria for a 20 percent rating under DC 5260.
- Denied
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbosacral spine disability was denied. The Board also remanded the issue of whether his right knee condition is secondary to his left knee disability, which requires further examination and opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's knee disabilities are being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.,A decision on the TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the appeal period prior to December 27, 2017.
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.