Knee decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings for right knee disabilities due to insufficient medical evidence regarding their severity in an unmedicated state.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for left knee strain, lumbosacral strain, service connection for a right hip disability (degenerative arthritis), and a right elbow disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, right wrist, left wrist, lung condition, mental health condition (anxiety and depression), thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, plantar fasciitis, and migraine due to a lack of evidence supporting current disabilities.

The appeal was dismissed as a matter of law, except for the grant of an initial rating of 10 percent for right knee limitation of extension.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the claims of increased rating and service connection, as well as DEA benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or a grant of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating higher than 20 percent for right knee pain based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran was granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, SMC at the M level based on loss of use of the lower extremities, and SMC at the O level based on the award of SMC L and SMC M. The claim for SMC based on housebound status was dismissed as moot.

The Board granted an evaluation of 50 percent for PTSD and remanded the claims for service connection for a left knee disability and lumbar spine condition.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee disability and remanded the claim for a right foot disability, to include plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, and pes planus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hernia, lumbosacral strain, left and right knee strains, and left and right shoulder strains due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

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

The appeal for service connection for migraines and a back disability is dismissed as moot, while the appeals for a compensable rating for atopic dermatitis with telogen effluvium (hair loss) and service connection for left knee strain status post ACL repair are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review the case.

The Board granted service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of the thoracolumbar spine, and for right and left knee degenerative arthritis post knee replacements.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and assigned ratings of 20 percent for both the repaired left knee meniscal tear and the unrepaired right knee meniscal tear, while denying higher ratings for painful and limited motion in both knees.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, as there was no evidence of a current disability or a link between any in-service event and the development of right knee pain.

The Board granted service connection for osteomyelitis of the right knee and tibia, but denied it for arteriosclerosis obliterans. The claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and bilateral dry eye syndrome were remanded.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of April 22, 2020 for the evaluation and award of disability compensation for degenerative joint disease, right knee status post-surgery.

The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, COPD, and denied an initial rating higher than 50 percent for MDD with GAD.