Knee decisions — 2025

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding no evidence that it was related to his military service.

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran requested the withdrawal of his appeals for initial evaluations and increased ratings for various left knee conditions, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral foot stress fractures with pes planus and degenerative arthritis, initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left foot hallux valgus, left knee meniscal tear status post meniscectomy with degenerative arthritis, left knee limitation of extension, left knee instability, and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection of various conditions, including vertigo, knee disabilities, radiculopathies, PTSD, shin splints, depression, GERD, and IBS.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for a respiratory disorder, left hand disability, left knee disability, and skin disorder due to missing service personnel records.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 3, 2023 for the grant of a 10 percent disability rating for left knee strain, limitation of extension and granted a separate disability rating for left knee shin splints. The increased rating claim was denied.

The Board granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and remanded the claim for a right knee condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, left hip arthritis, and chronic cervical spine pain, resolving any reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for left knee recurrent instability from November 17, 2022, and an effective date of September 26, 2006, but not earlier, for the award of service connection for other aspects of left foot surgical scars.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a left knee strain, and a left shoulder condition due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities meeting VA standards.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right knee degenerative arthritis and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for vertigo secondary to traumatic brain injury (TBI) for additional development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, chronic right knee pain, and chronic left knee pain to ensure additional development is completed.

The Board remands the case to request additional evidence and obtain a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a left eye disability. A 20 percent rating was granted for status post peptic ulcer with GERD, but the claim for a compensable rating for psoriasis was denied.

The Board is remanding the service connection claims for headaches, sleep apnea, left knee disability, and left foot plantar fasciitis due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease was granted, while claims for right and left knee disabilities were denied.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and a rating of 40 percent for status post total right knee replacement (right TKR), while denying increased ratings for the other conditions.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a higher rating for tinnitus, while remanding claims for service connection for an anxiety condition, back strain, bilateral pes planus, left shoulder condition, right knee condition, and dizziness.