Knee decisions — 2025

The Board granted an effective date of February 8, 2018, for the assignment of a 20 percent rating for right knee meniscal tear, status post meniscectomy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded several new claims.

The Board granted service connection for left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee conditions, as well as a 30 percent initial rating for chronic sinusitis from August 10, 2022, and a maximum 30 percent initial rating for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) from September 29, 2022.

The Board granted an effective date of February 1, 2021, for the total disability evaluation based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) and basic eligibility to Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee condition, finding that the Veteran's current left knee injury was the result of a new injury incurred while on active duty.

The Board remands the claims for an initial, compensable disability rating for right and left leg shin splints and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee degenerative joint disease due to a duty to assist error.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to deficiencies in the VA examiners' opinions.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee disorder, diagnosed as patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left foot and right knee conditions to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as the Veteran has not received a VA medical examination or opinion regarding these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, left knee disability, and a right shoulder condition due to the lack of evidence supporting current disabilities related to in-service events.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory condition, restless leg syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, and higher ratings for allergic rhinitis, tension headaches, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and generalized anxiety disorder with unspecified mood disorder and alcohol use disorder. The claims for chronic sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and lumbosacral strain were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a left knee condition, and a right knee condition. The claim for a left shoulder disability was denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for bilateral knee, skin, back, and lower back conditions due to procedural defects in the claims-processing rules.

The appeal was dismissed for the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, and service connection for migraine headaches was restored. Several claims for service connection were denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee disability, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction as new and relevant evidence was not received. The Veteran's hypertension does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board granted a disability rating of 30 percent for left lower extremity neuropathy but remanded the claims for service connection and increased ratings for other conditions.

The appeal for a compensable initial rating for erectile dysfunction was withdrawn, and several claims for service connection were denied. Additionally, the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for various conditions and ratings for his disabilities were also denied.

The Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, unspecified mood disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as alcohol use disorder. The remaining claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, sleep disability, and heart murmur, bypass surgery and residuals. The claims for left knee, seizure, head injury, scar on the left cheek, cervical spine, and right hip disabilities were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for back, left knee, and right knee conditions due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.