The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for left and right knee chondromalacia patella prior to February 25, 2025, denied ratings greater than 40 percent after that date, and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability effective January 1, 2022.
The deciding factor: The evidence established moderate instability in both knees resulting in falls prior to February 25, 2025, but did not demonstrate limitation of extension to 45 degrees after that date. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation effective January 1, 2022.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee chondromalacia patella, right knee chondromalacia patella
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2025
- Citation
- 25007566
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,446 · Granted: 21% (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 25007566.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on statutory housebound status due to her service-connected conditions and additional nonservice-connected disabilities, finding that she did not meet the criteria for SMC.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as her eligibility for VA health care benefits and enrollment in a Priority Group higher than Priority Group 8 has already been granted due to the combined disability rating of 50 percent.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings for right knee chondromalacia patella and anterior cruciate ligament strain due to an improper concurrent election of review options.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia patella is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that the condition did not warrant a compensable rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261, as his range of motion was within normal limits with some pain but no instability.
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