Knee decisions — 2025

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for right ankle degenerative arthritis but denied increased ratings and earlier effective dates for other service-connected conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and cervical spine disability due to inadequate medical opinions.

The claims for increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected conditions are being remanded to provide him an additional opportunity to undergo VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and a bilateral knee strain, while denying service connection for fibromyalgia, an undiagnosed Gulf War illness (UGWI), or a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness (MUCMI).

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected left and right knee degenerative joint disease, as well as a TDIU claim, due to deficiencies in recent VA examinations.

The claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for furuncles, migraines, right ankle strain, and right knee strain with shin splints are remanded due to the failure of the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) to fully assist the Veteran in obtaining evidence related to his 2014 claim.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD; a left knee disability; and a lumbar spine disability due to insufficient development of evidence.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for various conditions due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residual disability caused by several left knee surgeries.

The Board remands the claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral pes planus, gout, ankle/foot disability manifested by instep and heel pain, other than pes planus, and a knee disability due to alleged VA negligence in April 2007 treatment.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities from January 1, 2016.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral knee disabilities. The claims for GERD and COPD were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as there was no evidence to support a higher rating or a link between his claimed conditions and military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board remands the increased rating claims for service-connected disabilities of both knees to ensure compliance with its previous remand instructions.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, and right wrist condition as there was no evidence to support a finding that these conditions were related to his active duty service.

The appeal for service connection for posttraumatic arthritis in left knee and lumbar spine degenerative disease (claimed as lower back sprain) has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, lower back condition, and left ventricular hypertrophy to cure pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition and left knee condition to correct an error on the part of the AOJ regarding the duty to assist.

The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability and a 40 percent rating for lumbar spine disability, while dismissing appeals for increased ratings on the left knee. Service connection was also granted for right and left foot plantar fasciitis.