The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee instability, degenerative joint disease with meniscectomy and tear, and limitation of extension as they are already rated at their maximum allowable levels under the applicable diagnostic codes.
The deciding factor: The amputation rule precludes a rating in excess of 30 percent for right knee instability status post meniscal repair, and the combined disability rating cannot exceed 60 percent, which is the equivalent of an above the knee amputation. Any further increased rating is precluded as a matter of law.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee degenerative joint disease, meniscectomy and tear, post arthroscopy limitation of flexion, right knee instability status post meniscal repair, right knee limitation of extension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 27, 2025
- Citation
- 25002855
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 857 · Granted: 35% (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 25002855.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal as to the issues of entitlement to increased disability ratings for left foot metatarsalgia, tinnitus, left wrist disability, right foot plantar warts, and for service connection for right foot plantar warts at a September 2024 hearing. Service connection was granted for migraines.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, right knee meniscal tear with osteoarthritis and patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right knee limitation of extension. The effective dates are April 15, 2015, January 30, 2015, and January 20, 2015 respectively.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining retrospective opinions considering functional loss without the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to January 5, 2024, for service connection and evaluations of various conditions.
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