Knee decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, granted service connection for musculoskeletal neck/upper back (cervical spine) condition/myofascial pain syndrome and right shoulder disability, and remanded several other claims.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis and in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder osteoarthritis to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for painful left knee scars and a 20 percent rating for the left knee disability based on dislocation of semilunar cartilage, but denied a compensable rating for left knee scars based on disfigurement. The right knee claim was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between the current disability and active service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders to correct duty to assist errors and obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees, finding no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation and noting that the conditions began more than 10 years after service.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right foot condition, left foot condition, and right trigger finger. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and lung condition were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder and remanded claims for an ulcer disorder, left hip disorder, and a higher rating for the left knee disability.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for tension headaches from September 10, 2021, to August 27, 2022, and denied increased ratings for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis as presumptively due to particulate matter exposure and assigned initial ratings of 20 percent, 10 percent, 10 percent, and 70 percent for a thoracolumbar spine disability, right knee limitation of flexion, right knee instability, and psychiatric disability, respectively.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left knee strain with shin splints, right knee strain with patellofemoral pain and shin splints, left ankle strain, and right ankle strain.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a higher initial rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis, and an earlier effective date for a 50 percent disability rating for schizophrenia. However, the Board granted a 70 percent disability rating from December 14, 2021, for schizophrenia and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board remands the claims for a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left tibia fracture and whether it aggravates the left knee arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and dismissed or denied the other claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral flat foot, left and right knee disorders, left leg disorder, right hip disorder, prostate disorder, lower back disorder, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy/radiculopathy, to cure pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The appeal for service connection for right knee osteoarthritis was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election of review options.

The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to August 24, 2023.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee condition has been withdrawn and is dismissed.

The Board denied an increased rating for lumbosacral strain but granted initial ratings of 20 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and remanded the claim for service connection for a right knee disability.