Knee decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for mini strokes, a low back disability, right and left hand gout, right and left knee gout, chronic venous insufficiency, an increased rating higher than 30 percent for coronary artery disease, and an increased rating higher than 20 percent for type two diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings of his lumbar spine disability and left knee disability, resulting in the dismissal of these issues.

The Board denied service connection for all the claimed conditions as there was no competent evidence that any of these disabilities were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded a claim for service connection of a lumbar spine condition.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity nerve pain, left lower extremity nerve pain, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for tinnitus, migraine headaches, a low back condition, a left wrist condition, right and left knee conditions, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances to correct an error by the RO in scheduling VA examinations prior to the rating decision on appeal.

The appeal for service connection and rating of the veteran's conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, knee, spine, shoulder, and foot issues, has been withdrawn and dismissed.

The Board granted an effective date of July 21, 2017, for the assignment of a 50 percent disability rating for service-connected PTSD and denied higher ratings for right quadriceps disability and left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings to ensure that all relevant evidence is considered, including new VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and tinnitus to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board denied service connection for left knee condition, right knee degenerative arthritis, and low back pain as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability alone renders him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating for compensation. Additionally, the Veteran meets the criteria for special monthly compensation based on housebound status.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and back disabilities due to a need for VA examinations to determine their nature and etiology, particularly in relation to the Veteran's service-connected ingrown toenail disability.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection, thus the Board has no jurisdiction to review these claims.

The Veteran was granted a separate initial evaluation of 20 percent for right knee instability from January 29, 2019 to March 5, 2025. The other claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left knee replacement, Raynaud's syndrome, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea but granted service connection for Bell's palsy as secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for right shoulder rotator cuff tendinosis and arthralgia, in excess of 10 percent for left knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis, in excess of 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis, and in excess of 20 percent for chronic right ankle sprain to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders to obtain additional evidence and a medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, left ear hearing loss, left hand frostbite, right hand frostbite, and knee joint osteoarthritis. The Veteran's appeal was also remanded for further development of the claims for a headache disorder and lumbar spine disorder.

The Board remands all service connection claims for further development, specifically to provide the veteran with adequate VA examinations.