Knee decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder with dissociative disorder, alcohol dependence, and cannabis abuse. The claims for sleep apnea or any other sleep disorder, obesity, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, hypertension, tension headaches, patellofemoral pain syndrome of both knees, thoracolumbar scoliosis, and upper back and neck pain were denied.

The Board denied service connection for shin splints, left and right, but remanded the claims for a left knee condition and right knee condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted restoration of a 10 percent disability rating for hypertension, while dismissing appeals for compensable ratings for certain surgical scars and maxillary sinusitis. The Board also remanded several issues including service connection for residuals of left varicocelectomy, to include a hydrocele, and other disability ratings.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, secondary to a service-connected back condition. The claims for cellulitis and hypertension were denied, while the claims for left and right knee conditions were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for kidney disease and prostate cancer. The claims for a left knee condition, right knee condition, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 USC 1318 as the criteria were not met, and remanded the service connection for cause of death due to inadequate medical evidence.

The Board remands the claims for higher disability ratings for hypertension, GERD, allergic rhinitis, and right knee to correct a duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis, a bilateral hip condition, and a bilateral knee condition. However, it granted an increased rating of 30 percent for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) effective May 19, 2024.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a left knee disorder due to deficiencies in the evidence of record.

The Board granted service connection for left knee instability, lumbosacral and thoracic strain, pain and dysfunction of the left wrist, and tension headaches. A separate 10 percent rating was granted for left knee instability effective May 11, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, right knee disability, and lumbar spine disability as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the current disabilities and the Veteran's in-service activities.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, right and left knee disabilities, and right and left ankle disabilities. The claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disability was denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, right and left shoulder and knee joint pain, a sciatic nerve disability, and an earlier effective date for non-allergic rhinitis with recurrent sinusitis and deviated septum. The claims for right and left ankle joint pain were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders due to a failure to obtain VA opinions despite evidence of in-service and post-service symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus but granted it based on the evidence of record. The claims for mechanical lower back pain and left knee, status post meniscus tear, as secondary to right knee strain were remanded due to deficiencies in the VA examinations.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disorders prior to March 4, 2020, for additional development due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral foot and knee disorders to obtain additional medical opinions regarding aggravation by a service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board granted initial evaluations of 50 percent for lumbar degenerative disc disease, 30 percent for left knee strain, and 20 percent for left knee instability.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee disability based on limitation of motion, as the evidence did not show a more severe disability picture.

The Board granted an effective date of August 16, 2011, for the award of a 20 percent rating for low back disability and service connection for right and left knee disabilities.