Knee decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and other skin conditions, as well as earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and increased ratings for idiopathic rash and associated scarring, and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board granted an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for right knee meniscus tear and denied service connection for a left knee condition, granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and granted an increased rating of 30 percent for right knee meniscus tear from July 14, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and denied increased ratings for right femur limitation of flexion, right femur limitation of extension, and right knee disability. However, the Board granted a 10 percent rating for right femur limitation of rotation, a 10 percent rating for scar based on characteristics disfigurement (right upper eyelid), and a 10 percent rating for painful scar on the right upper eyelid.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for right knee disability to correct duty to assist errors, specifically regarding medical opinions that do not adequately address the Veteran's in-service injuries and current symptoms.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, right knee disability manifested by pain, and left knee disability manifested by pain. The claim for an earlier effective date was denied.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee, left elbow, and left shoulder disabilities as manifestations of an undiagnosed illness due to the Veteran's Persian Gulf War service.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, eye disability, erectile dysfunction, skin disability, and painful joints due to a lack of evidence supporting their onset in or relationship to active duty. The claim for a heart disability was remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to a failure to obtain necessary private treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on current symptomatology.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for right knee meniscus disability and right knee limitation of extension, but remanded other claims related to increased ratings and TDIU.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee arthritis prior to April 7, 2021; granted a 20 percent rating from April 7, 2021, to March 30, 2023; and denied a rating in excess of 30 percent from August 1, 2023.

The Board remands the matter of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for a left knee disability due to an inadequate medical opinion and the need for clarification regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability absent medication.

The Board denied an initial rating greater than 10 percent for left knee limitation of flexion prior to February 17, 2024, and greater than 20 percent thereafter for left knee limitation of extension. However, the Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee limitation of extension due to pain prior to February 17, 2024, and a separate 10 percent rating for left knee limitation of flexion from February 17, 2024, as well as a separate 10 percent rating for left knee lateral instability from the same date.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for left knee limitation of motion and instability but granted a separate rating for frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his right and left knee scars, as well as remanded several other claims related to his knee disabilities.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the statutory housebound rate, effective May 22, 2023.

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

The Board remands the claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee strain, with arthralgia and shin splints due to inadequate medical examinations.

The Board granted separate 10 and 20 percent ratings for left knee instability, a 20 percent rating for left knee semilunar cartilage impairment, but denied higher ratings for flexion and extension limitations and a compensable rating for surgical scars.