Knee decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee, ankle, and hip conditions as well as migraine headaches to correct duty-to-assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and a left ankle disorder as additional evidence is needed to support the decisions.

The Board granted the restoration of a 30 percent rating for the service-connected right shoulder disability, effective from November 29, 2022, due to an inadequate VA examination that did not provide range of motion measurements in weight-bearing or non-weight-bearing.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for the Veteran's bilateral knee disability due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the right knee scar status post (s/p) surgery and remanded claims for increased ratings of osteoarthritis in both hips.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and right shoulder disorder as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or etiological relationship to the Veteran's service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee and foot conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current severity of his symptoms.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as for residual scars and painful scars of the knees. The Board also remanded a claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left hand, finding the evidence persuasively against a nexus to service. The Board remanded claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and right knee meniscal tear and chondromalacia due to inadequate VA medical opinions that failed to address aggravation theories and direct service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for service connection for left and right knee instability, finding no evidence of unrepaired or failed repair of complete ligament tear causing persistent instability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for allergic rhinitis, bilateral ankle disabilities, hypertension, left knee disability, right little finger disability, and left hand scar as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.

The appeal for service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hand (fingers/thumb) condition, ankle pain, foot pain, hip pain, knee pain, low back pain, migraines, sciatica, and TBI, has been withdrawn by the appellant's representative.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of left knee condition, right knee condition, and diabetes, as well as an increased rating for diabetes. However, the Board granted a combined initial rating of 30 percent for the left knee condition and 20 percent for the right knee condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to November 11, 2020, warranting a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, vertigo, and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, as there was no evidence of onset in service or a relationship to service.

The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia was granted a rating of 10 percent, while other knee conditions and scars were denied higher ratings. TDIU was also granted.

The appeal of the March 2023 decision that granted service connection for left knee strain under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17 was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the rating of his right knee disability and the effective date of the award of service connection for the right knee disability.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including providing notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing and determining whether an examination is necessary.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral eye condition, psychiatric disability, and other disabilities. Service connection was granted for a dental condition solely to establish eligibility for outpatient dental treatment.