Knee decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee tendonitis, right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, and acne as further development is needed to determine their etiology.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for lumbosacral strain, left shoulder condition, and right knee condition was dismissed due to a late filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support its onset during active duty or within one year of separation from service.

The appeal for service connection for left and right knee disabilities has been granted, rendering the current appeal moot.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, radiculopathy of the left and right upper extremities, but denied service connection for left knee strain with shin splints, thoracolumbar strain with IVDS, left shoulder disability to include shoulder strain with impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis, right shoulder disability to include shoulder strain with impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis with calcific tendinitis, and tinnitus.

The Board remands the claims for further development and clarification regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee and right knee disabilities, specifically to determine if the Veteran has experienced 'the functional equivalent of range of motion loss contemplated by the next higher rating' at any point during the appeal period.

The Board denied increased ratings for PTSD, major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and cannabis use disorder, lumbosacral strain, right elbow burn scars, pseudofolliculitis barbae, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, low testosterone, and left knee disability. However, service connection was granted for TBI, left forehead scar, and left arm scars.

The Board granted restoration of the 40 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve (RLE sciatic nerve radiculopathy) effective November 3, 2023. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right knee disability and right hip condition were dismissed due to a claims processing rules defect.

The Board granted a 100 percent initial schedular disability rating for the Veteran's unspecified depressive and anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder, while remanding other issues for further development.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for left knee disability based on limitation of extension from October 26, 2021, to October 31, 2023, but denied a higher rating for limitation of flexion.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and increased ratings for dermatitis and gastroenteritis, while remanding the claim for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected gastroenteritis.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left and right knee disabilities, left and right hip disabilities, and a back disability due to the lack of evidence showing current diagnoses or functional impairment in earning capacity.

The Board granted service connection for depression and remanded the claims for service connection for a back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, left sciatic radicular pain, and right sciatic radicular pain. The claim for tinnitus was denied.

The Board granted service connection for a back condition and denied it for a right shoulder condition. The other issues, including the right knee, hypertension, OSA, and right elbow conditions, were remanded.

The Veteran and his representative withdrew their appeals for the issues of revision of the February 2016 rating decisions, service connection claims, and evaluation for hypertension.

The Board remands the claims for a left knee condition and increased ratings for left hip trochanteric bursitis due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for a disorder manifested by right knee pain and arthritic changes, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his active duty service.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for increased ratings and a compensable rating for various conditions, as these issues were deferred by the AOJ and not yet final.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected left forehead scar but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee osteoarthritis, and PTSD.