Knee decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, hearing loss, painful scar, patellofemoral pain syndromes of the knees, and other conditions.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for limitation of extension of the right knee and a 10 percent rating for instability of the right knee, but no higher.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, right knee, and left knee as secondary to the right knee.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period from May 25, 2016 to January 18, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and lumbar spine conditions due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board granted a 70% rating for PTSD from November 25, 2015 to August 12, 2024 and a 40% rating for the right shoulder disability. It also granted 10% ratings for both feet and 20% ratings for knee patellofemoral pain syndromes.

The Board granted service connection for right knee, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability but denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability prior to April 25, 2019.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and chronic pain syndrome due to untimely notices of disagreement.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for revision of a March 2005 rating decision based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) regarding the effective date of service connection for patellofemoral syndrome, right knee and left knee.

The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral knee strain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied an initial increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and tendinitis, cervical spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and thoracolumbar scoliosis and lumbar spine degenerative changes.

The Board remands the matter for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and addendum medical opinions to clarify the effects of flareups and repeated use over time.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative joint disease and osteoarthritis of the left knee, as the evidence did not show limitation of flexion to less than 30 degrees.

The claims for service connection for hearing loss and a left knee condition were dismissed due to an untimely notice of disagreement filed more than one year after the October 2022 rating decision.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the claims for a right knee condition, left knee condition, and low back condition.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.