The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for her increased ratings and DEA benefits, finding that entitlement did not arise prior to July 22, 2024.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show that the Veteran's extension range of motion was limited to 30 degrees in the right knee or 15 degrees in the left knee prior to July 21, 2024.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Joint Osteoarthritis, Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (right knee), Left Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome with Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26007799
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 A26007799.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for right knee disability was denied as his symptoms did not warrant an increased rating.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to October 10, 2022 was also denied due to the lack of evidence showing he could not secure or follow any substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his principal cause of death, cardiopulmonary arrest. As such, the claim for service connection for cause of death is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral shin splints, and knee injuries, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 9, 2019. The Board has granted TDIU on this basis.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea and back disability, preclude his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from March 19, 2025.
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