Knee decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 100 percent rating for locally recurrent prostate cancer and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate from November 1, 2025.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, as well as left and right knee strain and patellofemoral pain syndrome with medial tibial stress syndrome, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to active service or any incident of service.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, effective March 15, 2021. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board denied service connection for a tailbone fracture and remanded the claims for service connection for a low back pain disorder, De Quervain's syndrome of the right wrist and hand, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to a pre-decisional error in failing to provide the Veteran with a VA mental disorders examination and not obtaining complete VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis and osteoarthritis of the left hip, right hip, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, a lumbar spine disability manifested by low back pain, and left knee osteoarthritis.

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's election of a higher-level review, which precludes concurrent Board review.

The Board remands the claim for a bilateral knee disability to correct a duty to assist error, requiring an addendum opinion that addresses whether the Veteran's left knee disability clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated by service, or if it is related to service. The right knee disability will also be addressed.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for a left knee disability and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.

The appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was dismissed due to a procedural defect in the docketing process.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and denied initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral spine intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The Board also denied an initial compensable rating for a right wrist scar and limitation of extension of the left knee.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee disorder, right knee disorder as secondary to the left knee disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, bilateral eye disorder, rhinitis, and left ear hearing loss.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's knee and cervical spine disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, diagnosed as plantar fasciitis, and a right shoulder disability, diagnosed as right shoulder strain. The claims for left knee, right knee, and lipoma were denied.

The Board denied several claims for increased ratings and service connection, while granting a 30% rating for herpes simplex labialis and service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, cervical spine, lumbar spine disability (including IVDS), right ankle, and right knee based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied an initial compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis and a higher initial rating for right knee meniscal tear, but granted a separate 10 percent rating for recurrent instability of the right knee. The service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type 2, and erectile dysfunction were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for blood tainted, granted an initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD, and remanded the claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability.