Knee decisions — 2025

The Veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder with adjustment disorder and depressed mood is granted a rating of 50 percent, while his bilateral hearing loss is denied a compensable rating.

The Board remands the claims for further development to correct duty to assist errors, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling new VA examinations.

The Veteran has withdrawn the appeal for service connection for multiple conditions.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine strain, hypertension, right ankle strain, left ankle strain, right hand tenosynovitis, left hand tenosynovitis, a right hip disability, and a left hip disability. The appeal was dismissed for sleep apnea, vertigo, a left knee disability, headaches, and coronary artery disease. Tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied higher ratings.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, right ankle strain, and sinusitis. The claims for an earlier effective date for PTSD and right shoulder impingement syndrome were denied.

The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including sleep apnea/sleep disordered breathing (SDB), erectile dysfunction, inflammatory enthesopathy as a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317, and various musculoskeletal conditions affecting the Veteran's hips, knees, hands, shoulders, and feet.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, right knee condition, and left knee condition to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings for IBS, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and left knee iliotibial band friction syndrome with history of early medial and patellofemoral compartment arthritis to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's left ankle disability and remanded claims for service connection of plantar fasciitis and knee disability secondary to his service-connected left ankle.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, left knee, and right knee conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's service.

The Board granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder, left knee strain, and right knee strain. Service connection was denied for amenorrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and restless leg syndrome. Melasma was granted under the Persian Gulf War provisions.

The Board remands the claim for a VA medical opinion to clarify whether the Veteran has a separate right popliteal cyst condition and, if so, whether it is related to her service or her service-connected right knee disability.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of both knees prior to October 19, 2021, and denied an increased rating from April 1, 2022. The TDIU was also granted effective December 11, 2020.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for left knee limitation of flexion and denied an increased rating for instability of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right knee degenerative joint disease prior to May 13, 2021, but granted a rating of 30 percent for both knees as of that date due to instability.

The Board granted service connection for the veteran's left knee condition, right knee condition, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and sinus condition.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding relevant VA treatment records and a need for a clarifying opinion regarding the skin disability claim.

The Board remands the matter for a VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of the Veteran's service-connected patella fracture and laceration of the left knee, including without the ameliorative effects of medications.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a left knee disability, service connection for a neck disability, service connection for a right knee disability, and service connection for hypertension due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.