Knee decisions — 2025

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the assignment of a 30 percent rating for degenerative joint disease right knee and left anterior cruciate ligament tear and medial collateral ligament tear with chronic anterior cruciate insufficiency.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee pain, right knee patella disability, and rhinitis to obtain a VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew the appeals of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral knee instability and a right shoulder disability, stating that he was satisfied with his current ratings and effective dates.

The Board remands all service connection claims for a back condition, left and right foot conditions, left and right knee conditions, right shoulder condition, and sleep condition due to the Veteran's failure to attend scheduled VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for further development due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including unconfirmed service locations and lack of VA examinations.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, left shoulder, right shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for left and right post total knee arthroplasty, a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board granted a 60 percent rating for the Veteran's right knee disability from September 1, 2021, as it was factually ascertainable that his symptoms more nearly approximated chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion in the right lower extremity during this period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hemorrhoids, right knee disability, and left knee disability as there was no evidence of a compensable rating or higher for any of these conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, back condition, and bilateral knee conditions due to a duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for left knee replacement as secondary to right knee replacement and scars unstable or painful left knee as secondary to left knee replacement, but denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for the right knee prior to November 16, 2021, and an evaluation in excess of 60 percent from that date.

The Veteran was granted a temporary total rating of 100 percent for the period from January 4, 2021 to March 4, 2021 based on surgery necessitating convalescence for a right knee meniscal tear.

The Veteran was granted a 100 percent disability rating for somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and major depressive episodes, effective May 6, 2021. The right ankle debridement of arthritis, post traumatic, was denied a higher rating, while service connection was granted for right knee pain but denied for low back pain and radiculopathy in the lower right extremity.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an in-service injury.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability secondary to a left knee disability and obstructive sleep apnea secondary to service-connected major depressive disorder and left knee disabilities, based on new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied service connection for left leg arthritis, back disability, right knee and left knee disabilities but granted a 70 percent rating for the psychiatric disability from January 4, 2019.

The Board remands all issues on appeal for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination and private medical records.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the service connection of bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and a higher rating for low back disability but granted initial ratings of 40 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for acquired flat foot deformity and right knee, status post total knee replacement based on CUE in April 1985 rating decisions.