Knee decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for a new examination to address inconsistencies in the previous VA examination report.

The appeal for service connection for right and left knee disorders, tinnitus, hearing loss, a compensable rating for bronchitis, and an initial rating higher than 30 percent for PTSD was denied. The appeal for service connection for a hiatal hernia was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, hypertension, and vertigo. The claims for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were also denied as not secondary to a service-connected disability. Some claims for various musculoskeletal conditions of the cervical spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, feet, and fibromyalgia are remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), to include unspecified anxiety disorder, and assigned ratings of 40 percent, but no higher, for lumbar spine L5 spondylolysis without spondylolisthesis, and separate ratings of 10 percent each for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee strain with effusion, right knee strain with effusion and status post anterior tibial tubercle avulsion fracture, left knee lateral instability, and right knee lateral instability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left ankle, left knee, and right shoulder bursitis conditions to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as right and left ankle strains.

The appeal was dismissed as the proposed severance and reduction of evaluations were not final decisions.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee and left knee status post meniscectomy, total knee replacement with residuals secondary to meniscus tear and degenerative joint disease, as they are proximately caused by the Veteran's service-connected ankle condition.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of right knee medial collateral ligament sprain based on evidence showing the condition began during active military service.

The Board granted an additional compensable rating for left knee instability and service connection for tinnitus, while denying increased ratings for left knee strain (extension) and flexion, as well as service connection for a left leg disability and right leg disability.

The Board granted service connection for a hernia and remanded the remaining claims for further development.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected right knee disability to address a duty-to-assist error regarding outstanding private treatment records.

The Board granted a 50% rating for lumbosacral strain, a separate 10% rating for left knee instability, and a 30% rating for tension headaches. The other claims were denied.

The Veteran was granted a 10 percent disability rating for chronic headaches from November 8, 2022, to May 21, 2023, and the claim for an increased rating of 30 percent or higher for chronic headaches after May 22, 2023, was denied. The claims for increased ratings for left and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were also denied.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD or acquired psychiatric disorder was dismissed due to untimeliness and duplicity.

The Board dismissed the service connection claim for perforated ear drum and remanded the right knee condition claim for further development.

The Board remands the claims for a compensable evaluation of migraine headaches and an increased rating for a left knee disability to correct errors by the AOJ, requiring new VA examinations.

The appeal of the proposed reductions in disability ratings for lumbosacral strain, right knee, and right knee scar were dismissed as there was no final agency action on appeal.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of June 18, 2015, for service connection for left knee and left hip disabilities but remanded other claims related to increased ratings and TDIU.

The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to August 3, 2023, for a right knee disorder for additional development.