Knee decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating for migraines and an increased rating for right knee meniscal and anterior cruciate ligament tear due to the Veteran's failure to appear for VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood and left knee degenerative arthritis, as the first claims were received on June 1, 2021.

The Board remands the claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent or 20 percent for various musculoskeletal conditions to correct a pre-decisional error and ensure compliance with legal requirements.

The Board denied several claims for increased ratings and service connection, while granting one claim for a higher rating and another for secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for revision of a September 2005 rating decision based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) for denying service connection for right knee medial meniscus tear, sinusitis, and lumbar pain.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, granted service connection for tinnitus, and remanded claims for right ear hearing loss and OSA.

The Board granted service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, lumbosacral strain (claimed as low back pain), and bilateral pes planus. The claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis was remanded.

The appeal was denied because the Veteran did not timely file a Board Appeal request with respect to the rating decision issued on August 19, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal requests for increased rating and service connection were denied due to untimeliness, as no good cause was shown for the late filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's left knee conditions, including a 30 percent rating for limitation of flexion, a separate 40 percent rating for limitation of extension from June 21, 2010, and a 30 percent rating for instability.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including an adequate VA examination addressing the severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and their impact on occupational functioning.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for limited extension of the left knee, effective March 6, 2024, and denied increased ratings for other conditions.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for left knee, right ankle, and left ankle degenerative arthritis as there is no evidence of a current disability; in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and a nexus between the claimed in-service disease or injury and the present disease or injury.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including efforts to locate and reconstruct the Veteran's missing claims file.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from October 3, 2016, onward, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right total knee arthroscopy and right knee instability, as well as a separate rating for right knee instability prior to December 1, 2020.

The Veteran's right knee disability was granted a rating of 50 percent, but no higher, for limitation of extension. TDIU was also granted due to the inability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition and granted an initial rating of 30 percent for migraine headaches, while denying increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with thoracolumbar strain, right shoulder strain, left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and right knee strain.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased rating due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased ratings due to the Veteran's withdrawal of certain claims, and denied other claims based on a lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses or sufficient symptoms.