BVA decisions by condition
Replacement of knee with prosthesis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a replacement of knee with prosthesis issue in 995 decisions. It granted the replacement of knee with prosthesis issue in 15.7% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 26.7%, and remanded it in 57.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 37.0% were granted.
Decisions
995
2017–2026
Granted
15.7%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
37.0%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
57.8%
Denied: 26.7%
Replacement of knee with prosthesis outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 67 | 10.4% | 17.9% | 68.7% | 3.0% |
| 2018 | 125 | 13.6% | 14.4% | 68.0% | 4.0% |
| 2019 | 121 | 19.8% | 24.8% | 55.4% | 0.0% |
| 2020 | 175 | 16.6% | 35.4% | 46.9% | 1.1% |
| 2021 | 140 | 10.7% | 28.6% | 55.0% | 5.7% |
| 2022 | 140 | 9.3% | 30.0% | 57.1% | 3.6% |
| 2023 | 158 | 15.2% | 23.4% | 60.1% | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 117 | 14.5% | 23.9% | 59.8% | 1.7% |
| 2025 | 118 | 18.6% | 26.3% | 51.7% | 3.4% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied replacement of knee with prosthesis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the replacement of knee with prosthesis issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 85 | 69.4% | 32.7% | +36.7 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 86 | 60.9% | 32.7% | +28.3 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 67 | 57.9% | 34.9% | +23.0 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 253 | 41.2% | 35.0% | +6.2 pts |
| Lay statement | 725 | 37.7% | 34.4% | +3.2 pts |
| Combat service | 46 | 40.0% | 36.8% | +3.2 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 49.4% of the decisions that granted replacement of knee with prosthesis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 26.9% of grants and 15.8% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often replacement of knee with prosthesis was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 252 | 41.9% | 34.8% | +7.0 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 638 | 37.0% | 36.9% | +0.1 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied replacement of knee with prosthesis
Most common reasons in grants
- Already at the maximum schedular rating12
- Chronic residuals of severe painful motion or weakness11
- Current diagnosis established7
- Criteria for 60 percent rating met5
- Severe painful motion and weakness3
- Met criteria for 60% rating under DC 50553
- Caused by the service-connected disability3
- Criteria for 60% rating met3
Most common reasons in denials
- Already at the maximum schedular rating29
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim17
- Criteria for higher rating not met9
- Criteria for increased rating not met7
- No chronic residuals of severe painful motion or weakness6
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis6
- Criteria for rating in excess of 30% not met5
- No evidence of severe painful motion or weakness5
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent replacement of knee with prosthesis decisions
Granted
Criteria for 60 percent rating met; Severe painful motion and weakness
Favorable finding by RO adopted by Board; Secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability
Veteran underwent total right knee replacement in November 2021.; Prior rating criteria under DC 5055 more favorable.; Temporary 100 percent rating warranted for one year post-prosthetic replacement.
Denied
Criteria for higher ratings not met; Residuals of total left knee replacement; Specific appeal periods considered
60 percent is maximum schedular rating under DC 5055; Evidence did not support higher rating; Benefit of the doubt inapplicable for higher ratings
Residuals of left knee total arthroplasty did not meet criteria for rating exceeding 30 percent.; Forward flexion limited to 35 degrees, not 30 degrees or less.; No ankylosis of the knee.
Rules that apply to replacement of knee with prosthesis claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your replacement of knee with prosthesis case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a replacement of knee with prosthesis issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.