Knee decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as a TDIU.

The Board remands the claims for service connection of right and left knee disabilities, to include as secondary to degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, remanding some issues for further development.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for right foot metatarsalgia, while remanding the other claims for further development.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities caused and/or materially contributed to his COPD, which was listed as the immediate cause of death.

The Board granted service connection for right hand little finger healed fracture and bilateral foot pes planus, while denying service connection for various other conditions including sinusitis, headaches, and sciatica. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for asthma.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability and a right hip disability, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board remands the claims for increased evaluations for bilateral knee disabilities and TDIU due to duty-to-assist errors, including an inadequate examination and failure to obtain private treatment records.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability, diverticulitis, and Barrett's esophagus due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee limitation of flexion and instability, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.

The Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating for left knee degenerative joint disease (DJD) with limitation of extension from October 22, 2002 until September 27, 2024, and 40 percent thereafter; a 10 percent rating for left knee DJD with limitation of flexion from October 22, 2002; and a maximum 30 percent rating for left knee DJD with instability from March 13, 2006. He was also granted a total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) from December 3, 2002.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's requests for an extension of time to opt into the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) system as moot because the issues were already adjudicated on the merits in a legacy decision.

The Board remands the matter for a retrospective opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability during flare-ups and an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's right knee strain is directly related to his service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis but granted a 10 percent rating, but not greater, for right and left knee scars.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, chronic migraines, left knee disability, low back disability, right knee disability, and right ear hearing loss. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied. The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied. The Board remanded the claim for service connection for a sinus condition (claimed as sinusitis with nose bleeds).

The Board granted service connection for chronic bronchitis, finding a link to presumed in-service herbicide exposure. The claims for bilateral pes planus and right leg condition (including right knee) were remanded for further evidence.

The appeal of service connection for left arm carpal tunnel syndrome was dismissed due to a procedural error in filing concurrent review options.

The Board granted a request to readjudicate the claim for service connection for a left knee disability due to new and relevant evidence, but remanded claims for service connection for gout and a left knee disability to include secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability for further development.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for patellofemoral pain syndrome left knee limitation of flexion and right knee painful motion with limitation of extension, granted a 10 percent evaluation for patellofemoral pain syndrome left knee with limitation of extension, and denied evaluations in excess of 10 percent for the right knee (instability) and right ankle sprain.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left foot disability, and determined that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for back, left knee, or right knee disabilities.