Knee decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for a knee disability and back disability as the evidence did not support an in-service incurrence or aggravation of these disabilities, nor was there a nexus to service.

The Board remands all the issues for further development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and providing additional forms to the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grants of service connection for various conditions, including left hip degenerative joint disease, right hip degenerative joint disease, and others.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings of right knee, lumbar spine, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the severity of these conditions absent the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board granted a 60 percent evaluation for the residuals of a left total knee replacement from July 1, 2019, to December 12, 2019, and denied an evaluation in excess of 60 percent for the same period. The Board also granted a 70 percent evaluation for adjustment disorder with depressed mood.

The veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection and increased ratings, resulting in the dismissal of all issues.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and enlarge ascending aortic condition as further medical evidence is needed to address whether these conditions are aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals remands the claims for service connection for recurrent lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a pre-decisional error in verifying the Veteran's periods of active duty.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, chronic nerve pain of the left lower extremity, and a neck condition due to the failure to provide VA examinations and obtain medical opinions.

The Board granted service connection for multiple osteoarthritis conditions, headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and gout based on the evidence showing a relationship to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board granted an effective date of April 23, 2012, for the award of service connection for right knee disability based on newly associated service treatment records.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for cervical radiculopathy with carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper extremity and remanded the service connection claim for a right knee disability.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and earlier effective date claims, resulting in their dismissal.

The appeal for initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and increased rating for right knee condition was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election of review options.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of residuals of a right knee shrapnel injury, finding that April 10, 2023 is the earliest possible effective date.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and dismissed the appeal for PTSD, as well as other claims for service connection that were not supported by evidence.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including alopecia, bilateral bunions, wrist and hip disabilities, knee and lower extremity disabilities, depression, back disability, cyst removal of the right hand, plantar fasciitis, and a heart murmur with palpitations, as there was no evidence of current diagnoses or that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran withdrew all claims except for service connection for sleep apnea, which was remanded for further development.

The veteran was granted an earlier effective date of October 2, 2017, for a higher rating of 70 percent for PTSD and denied an initial rating higher than 40 percent for fibromyalgia. Several service connection claims were remanded.