Knee decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for herpes (cold sores) and denied service connection for chronic sinusitis, a back disability, left knee pain, left shoulder disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, right lower extremity restless leg syndrome, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left and right hand essential tremors, seborrheic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hemorrhoids, right upper extremity radiculopathy, erectile dysfunction, and an increased rating for a psychiatric condition.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and readjudicating the cases.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving doubt in the Veteran's favor. The other claims are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

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

The Board remanded several claims for further development and readjudication, including service connection for OSA and hypertension, as well as increased ratings for right wrist sprain, MDD, tension headaches, and other musculoskeletal conditions.

The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for bilateral shoulder strain, bilateral shin splints, cervical strain, bilateral knee strain, and bilateral flat feet (pes planus) is dismissed.

The Board denied increased ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions, including left and right elbow disabilities, left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome with osteoarthritis and meniscal tear, right foot callus, and right knee instability. The decision also restored the 10 percent rating for left knee instability and right elbow radial head fracture.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral elbow pain, knee pain, wrist pain, hip pain, and migraines due to a need for further development, including VA examinations.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no substitute has been filed within the required timeframe.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to revise the July 2006 rating decision that continued a noncompensable evaluation for bilateral knee retropatellar pain syndrome, finding no clear and unmistakable error.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, finding that the severity of his symptoms did not warrant a higher disability rating. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with instability were remanded for further development.

The appeal regarding the proposed severance of service connection and adjustment of effective date for special monthly compensation was dismissed as they were not final rating decisions. The reduction in evaluation of left knee strain with limitation of extension from 10 percent to noncompensable was found improper.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for left knee, right knee, and left foot disabilities to ensure that VA's duty to assist is properly fulfilled.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis and unspecified ligament tear, finding that the evidence did not support higher initial evaluations.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and initial compensable rating due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of his right knee disability and associated scars.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for service connection claims related to bilateral knees, bilateral feet, tinnitus, OSA, acquired psychiatric disability, and pilonidal cyst.

The Board granted a higher rating of 30 percent for right shoulder arthritis effective February 1, 2024, and denied ratings higher than 20 percent for left shoulder arthritis, higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, higher than 10 percent for right knee limitation of flexion, higher than 10 percent for right knee instability, and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board remands the issues of service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, and tinnitus as they are inextricably intertwined with the character of discharge issue.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right and left foot disabilities from August 6, 2024, but denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to that date. The claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, tinnitus, and knee disabilities were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for a right hip sprain and initial disability ratings of 40 percent for right shoulder degenerative joint disease, 40 percent for right elbow epicondylitis, 20 percent for left knee degenerative joint disease, and 20 percent for right ankle degenerative disc disease.