Knee decisions — 2025

The Board denied the claims for service connection for a left ankle condition, mental disorder (nervous condition), right foot numbness, and right knee disability as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability based on the evidence being at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had onset in service.

The Board denied service connection for multiple disabilities, including a cervical spine disability, low back disability, and various limb and heart conditions, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during or were related to the veteran's service.

The Board denied service connection for the lower back disability as there was no evidence of a chronic disease shown in service or subsequent manifestations of the same chronic disease, and no medical link between the current diagnosis of lumbar strain and military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and thus a TDIU is granted.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal regarding increased ratings for various knee conditions and a scar, thus dismissing the case.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the left lower leg scar and status post left leg surgery, effective March 9, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for loss of sense of smell, loss of sense of taste, left testicular mass, and left knee total arthroplasty with an effective date of May 26, 2021. The right knee total arthroplasty was also granted as secondary to the left knee disability.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee anterior tibialis syndrome with knee strain and remanded claims for increased ratings for external popliteal nerve (common peroneal) paralysis, anterior tibial nerve paralysis, and service connection for sciatic nerve paralysis.

The Board denied service connection for right hand stenosing tenosynovitis, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and the Veteran's active service. The claims for bicep disability, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left hand stenosing tenosynovitis were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral flatfoot with arthritis, left hip arthritis, right hip arthritis, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis as secondary to the service-connected bilateral flatfoot. Eczema and psoriasis were also granted based on a direct link to an in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for obesity and remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, which are secondary to hypothyroidism and/or unspecified insomnia disorder with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for a right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and broken left thumb.

The Board granted service connection for a left ankle disability and denied service connection for traumatic brain injury, allergic rhinitis, and right knee chondromalacia.

The Board granted an effective date of August 5, 2021 for the award of service connection for rhinitis and denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability. The issue regarding a higher rating for left knee osteoarthritis was remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from attending to the needs of nature, caring for himself, or protecting himself from the hazards of his environment, thus granting special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.

The Board remands the case for additional development, specifically to obtain a retrospective opinion addressing the nature and severity of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board remands the matter for a new VA examination and opinion to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to July 19, 2024 for additional development.

The case is remanded for a new medical opinion to address the Veteran's contentions regarding additional disability as a result of VA treatment.