Knee decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, right knee strain, left knee strain, pseudofolliculitis barbae, somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and generalized anxiety disorder, and throbbing head pain on a direct basis.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee, and left hip disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. An earlier effective date of August 19, 2009, was also granted for a TDIU.

The Board denied entitlement to earlier effective dates for a TDIU and DEA benefits, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 28, 2010.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left shoulder injury, right knee injury, and bilateral flatfeet to obtain outstanding treatment records and military personnel records as well as VA examinations and opinions.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings as the current VA examinations are inadequate to determine the level of disability absent the ameliorating effects of medication.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, to include Osgood Schlatter, finding that the condition was not related to active service or secondary to the service-connected right knee disability.

The Board granted a 60 percent rating for the left knee disability and a separate 20 percent rating for recurrent instability since August 18, 2025, but denied higher ratings for the left knee prior to March 28, 2024, and from September 1, 2024, to August 17, 2025, as well as a rating in excess of 40 percent for duodenal ulcer disease since March 23, 2025.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied it for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for chronic headaches, edema of the bilateral feet, and left knee pain were remanded.

The appeal for service connection for cervical condition and bilateral knees was dismissed as the Veteran did not timely file a Board Appeal request.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) from January 1, 2019, and an effective date of the same for eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and initial rating claims due to untimely filings, except for chronic sinusitis which was granted on a direct basis.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral knee strain and instability, finding that the evidence was approximately evenly balanced as to whether this disability began during active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, as well as service connection for various conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder for additional development of the record.

The Board denied service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, a left ankle disability as secondary to the left knee condition, and left plantar fasciitis as secondary to the left knee condition.

The Board remands the case to the AOJ for an adequate VA medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee disorder.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, but granted service connection for a left knee condition, to include patellofemoral arthritis.

The Board denied service connection for pes planus and a history of drug and alcohol abuse, while remanding the claim for a left knee disability due to a duty to assist error.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis.