The Board granted service connection for right and left knee instability before June 12, 2023, and an evaluation of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The claim for a higher rating for posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder was denied.
The deciding factor: The Board granted service connection based on competent lay evidence from the Veteran and found that his instability was due to his service-connected knee disabilities. For the psychiatric disability, the evidence did not support a 100 percent evaluation as it showed only moderate impairment in social and occupational functioning.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee instability, left knee instability, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine (lumbar spine disability), psychiatric disability (posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder), right ankle condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 11, 2025
- Citation
- A25021965
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 696 · Granted: 63% (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 A25021965.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- 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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to April 17, 2019, for the grants of service connection for right knee instability, right knee tendonitis, and right femur fracture are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability associated with degenerative arthritis is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee limitation of motion associated with tendonitis with degenerative arthritis is denied.
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