The Board has restored the Veteran's right knee disability rating from 10% to 30%, effective July 1, 2025, finding that the reduction was improper and constituted a de facto severance of service connection.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the reduction in rating was void ab initio due to its de facto nature as a severance without proper procedural steps.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Strain, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear, Meniscal Strain, Popliteal Cyst
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26039395
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 A26039395.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's right and left knee strains, as well as shin splints, were granted increased ratings. The Veteran also received special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from October 25, 2017 to March 11, 2024.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle, bilateral knee, and left hip disability. The Veteran's initial 10 percent rating for left thigh strain with limitation of flexion is granted.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased disability evaluations and denied service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition. The Veteran was granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder.
- Denied
The Veteran's right knee strain with osteoarthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on current evidence.
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