Knee decisions — 2025

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as anxiety and PTSD; a back injury; right knee, Osgood Schlatter condition; and thyroid nodular disease, non-malignant due to the rule against concurrent election.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral flat feet, left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, and both knee strains as the evidence did not support a finding of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for limitation of extension of the left knee but granted a separate 10 percent rating for painful motion on flexion of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral knee pain, neck pain, right shoulder pain, and osteoarthritis of the whole body as there was no evidence to support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The appeal of a proposed reduction in the rating for right knee iliotibial band syndrome and the appeal for entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability were dismissed due to procedural defects.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and right wrist disability based on the evidence showing that these conditions had their onset during the Veteran's active military service.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (other than PTSD), to include adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, as secondary to service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee retropatellar pain syndrome with instability to obtain a new examination and medical opinions regarding functional ankylosis.

The appeal for service connection for left knee pain, right knee pain, and major depressive disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for both the lumbosacral strain and right knee strain, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a right knee disorder to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for an intestinal condition, to include diverticulosis status-post colon resection and a skin condition, diagnosed as eczema. However, the Board granted separate noncompensable and 10 percent disability ratings for left and right knee limitations of flexion and symptoms respectively.

The Board denied service connection for various musculoskeletal and other conditions as there was no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's active service and her current disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left ankle, right knee, and left knee as secondary to the service-connected right ankle due to a lack of development by the AOJ.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of CUE in the July 6, 2021 rating decision that denied service connection for a bilateral hand condition, a bilateral knee condition, and a low back condition.

The appeal regarding the rating reduction for left knee synovitis, limitation of extension, from 40 percent to 20 percent is dismissed due to procedural defects in the Veteran's election of review options.

The Board granted an effective date of December 17, 2018, for the award of service connection for other specified trauma disorder and stressor related disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.

The appeal for service connection for a back disability and neck disability was dismissed as moot, with full benefits granted. Other claims were remanded for further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for right knee joint osteoarthritis status post right knee arthroplasty and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to an error in the duty to assist.

The Board remands several issues for further development, including service connection claims and an earlier effective date claim.