Knee decisions — 2025

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis with patellar spur, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error and to consider additional entitlement theories.

The Veteran withdrew the claims for service connection for adjustment disorder with sleep issues, narcissistic personality disorder, left hip strain as secondary to left knee pain, status post ACL reconstruction, and right hip strain as secondary to left knee pain, status post ACL reconstruction.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition to obtain an addendum medical opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral knees, finding that her in-service complaints were acute and transitory and that there was no evidence linking her current condition to active service.

The Board denied service connection for right knee strain and left knee strain as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or condition, and the current conditions were not shown to be related to military service.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for right knee limitation of extension on and after April 4, 2021, and a 20 percent rating for left knee instability on and after March 1, 2021. The claims for increased ratings for the knees were denied.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for left total knee replacement to obtain the Veteran's complete service personnel records, including ROTC records.

The Board granted service connection for right knee, left ankle, and lumbar spine disabilities but denied an increased evaluation greater than 10 percent for the left knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU, finding insufficient evidence to support a reasonable possibility of unemployability due to his only service-connected disability, tinnitus.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right foot injury residuals and remanded the claims for service connection for cervical strain and left knee arthritis, as new and relevant evidence has been received.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, granted separate 10 percent ratings for instability in both knees, and denied a TDIU.

The Board remands the claim for a left elbow disability and denies increased ratings for back, left knee strain, and left knee strain with subluxation disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for a right knee condition to correct a duty to assist error and obtain an examination to determine whether the claimed right knee condition onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The appeal for a disability rating in excess of 100 percent for a total right knee replacement is dismissed because the Veteran already receives a 100 percent rating during the entire period on appeal.

The Board granted an initial compensable rating for right foot hallux valgus and remanded the claims for service connection for a back, right shoulder, left shoulder, and right knee disability.

The Board granted service connection for headaches and a left knee condition, but denied service connection for hearing loss, vertigo, right ankle, right knee, and right wrist conditions. The claims for lumbar spine and allergic rhinitis were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability rating for tinnitus, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an earlier effective date for tinnitus, and service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left knee condition, and right knee condition.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the 30 percent and 10 percent disability evaluations for left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve, as well as an earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Board remands the claims for a new medical examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left arm condition and the current severity of her right knee disability.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for right knee instability but denied a higher rating, and granted earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits.