Knee decisions — 2025

The appeal concerning the issues of service connection for various conditions and increased ratings was dismissed by the Veteran.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for chronic headaches, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a higher rating for right knee strain.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for left hip arthroplasty, right hip arthroplasty, low back degenerative changes, neck C5-C6 fusion with ankylosis, and a right knee condition.

The Board remands the claim for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for right knee osteoarthritis/degenerative tear of the lateral meniscus due to an inadequate examination report and a need to assess the ameliorative effects of pain medication.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's service-connected acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis of the left shoulder and right knee osteoarthritis, but granted a 10 percent rating for limitation of flexion in the right knee starting July 6, 2023, and a 20 percent rating for limitation of extension in the right knee from October 20, 2022.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and higher initial ratings for various disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and denied increased ratings for tinnitus, rhinitis, left knee strain with meniscal tear, arthritis, and shin splints, status post patellar dislocation / tendon rupture surgery, left knee scars, and PTSD with alcohol use disorder and traumatic brain injury.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, arthritis of the bilateral knees, a back disability, and a bilateral rotator cuff disability based on credible evidence supporting in-service stressors and symptoms.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis and right heel spurs with plantar fasciitis, as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current severity of these conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to exhaust all efforts to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for migraines, a right shoulder disability, and left knee and central auditory processing disorders. The low back disability claim was remanded due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left knee strain, and right knee strain based on evidence that each condition was as likely as not due to in-service parachute jumps.

The Veteran is entitled to a temporary total disability rating for his service-connected right knee disability for a period of one year from February 16, 2021.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a thoracolumbar spine disability and remanded the claims for service connection for tension headaches, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction (ED), left hip disability, right hip disability, and left knee disability.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for PTSD, claimed as sleep disturbance, anxiety, and left knee disability due to lack of evidence supporting a current diagnosis or in-service event.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, and right hip disability but denied service connection for a left knee disability and tension headaches. The traumatic brain injury was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted, while claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraines, a disability manifested by rashes, kidney disability, hypertension, left knee disability, and right knee disability were denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the initial ratings of various conditions and denied increased ratings, except for a 30 percent rating for Crohn's disease starting January 13, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for hair loss, allergies and/or sinus disability, bilateral hearing loss, a low back disability, and a left knee disability as there was no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence.